Leave You Hanging On Her Word
by Eyes-Like-Open-Doors
Summary: Roxanne Garniar just transferred to Hogwarts from Beauxbatons. She's pretty, risky, as clever as any Slytherin, and supposedly pureblood. She breaks down the walls of prejudice, of interhouse rivalries, and of a broken Draco Malfoy.
1. Reopening

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, though I wish I did.

I own Roxanne Garniar and this specific plot.

**French Translations are located at the bottom.**

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><p>Chapter One: Reopening<p>

Draco Malfoy sat by himself in a closed compartment on the Hogwart's Express. He had come alone, said his awkward hellos to those he had once considered friends, and found an empty compartment to lock himself in.

It had been nearly six months since the Second Wizarding War had ended and Hogwarts was finally reopening. Many of the students who had fought in the War chose not to come back and Draco didn't blame them. He himself did not want to be here but his mother had forced it upon him. He watched out his window as the train pulled out of King's Cross and began its journey through the country.

Draco jumped when his compartment door suddenly slammed open. He snarled and grabbed his wand. _I locked that for a reason_. He almost spat the words out when he looked up at the foolish person who had broken into his compartment.

It was a girl he didn't recognize, which in itself was odd because she seemed to be his age. She had a fragile looking face with long light brown hair. Her blue eyes were wide and framed with thick dark lashes. Her cheeks were flushed.

"_Bonjour._" She said with a quick smile. "Can I sit with you? Everywhere else is full."

Her accent was very clearly French. Draco leaned back, a little shocked. "Yeah, I guess."

"_Merci_." She slid into the compartment and tossed a small leather backpack onto the seat across from him. She sat down with a little sigh, looking a bit more relaxed. Her wand, which was pale in color, was tucked into her boot top.

Draco frowned. "Why are you dressed like a Muggle?"

She frowned. "Who is this Muggle?"

Irritation flickered in Draco. "Someone who isn't a wizard. You know, humans with no magic."

"Oh." She blushed a bit, running her hands over the denim of the jeans she wore. "It is more comfortable than those big robes. Besides, aren't they prettier?" Her eyes sparkled.

Draco shrugged and turned his face back to the window. He wasn't about to admit just how attractive the girl sitting before him was.

The girl frowned. She reached into her bag and pulled out a small, but thick, book. She rifled through it and then looked up at him. "What is … bothering you?"

Draco looked at her. He noticed the French-to-English dictionary with a small smirk. "I don't want to be here." His answer was short and cropped.

She didn't seem to notice. Her bright eyes swept over his features. "You are a Malfoy, are you not?"

A muscle in his jaw jumped. His scowl darkened. "Who are you to recognize a pureblood by his features?"

She raised one eyebrow in a challenge. "A Garniar."

Draco smirked. "A French pureblood? What on earth are doing on the train to Hogwarts?"

"Going to school." It was her turn to speak in a cropped and guarded tone.

"Really? I wouldn't have thought that." He meant it as an insult but his heart wasn't in it. The War had left him broken and nobody could fix him.

The French girl smiled warmly suddenly. She held a hand towards him. "My name is Roxanne."

_Interesting. _Draco thought. _A Persian name for a French pureblood? _"Draco." He said, shaking her hand briefly.

He noticed the heavy sapphire ring on her finger.

She noticed the heavy emerald ring on his.

Draco turned his face away. Roxanne kept her eyes on him for a moment, pity he didn't see in her eyes. _We are both too young to be the heads of our families._ Then she laced her fingers together and looked at her lap, thinking about the boy who sat in front of her.

She only knew what the gossip said about Draco Malfoy and his family. Voldemort had forced the boy into trying to kill Hogwart's Headmaster. His father was loyal to the Dark Lord, and his mother was desperate to save her only son. Lucius Malfoy was sent to Azkaban. Narcissa Malfoy was fined, her punishment cut back because of Harry Potter's request. Draco was also saved from a harsher punishment because of Potter. It was said that Draco Malfoy had changed after the war. No one really knew how, the Malfoys had avoided being in the public eye very well lately.

Then and there, Roxanne promised herself that she would learn how. _We are, _she thought wryly, _almost exactly the same anyways. _

Draco's mind was blank. He wasn't thinking of anything. He didn't let his thoughts wander to his mother, who he had last seen nearly a week ago, or to his father, who made him queasy even in memory, or to the pretty pureblood witch sitting across from him, who would have pleased his father greatly.

The train reached the school faster than either of them expected. Draco didn't seem to notice at first. Until Roxanne tugged on his tie, he was staring unseeingly out the window.

"What?" He snapped, looking up at the girl. She had changed into her school uniform and the clothes only made her look more attractive.

Her eyes hardened. "Do not speak to me like that!" She said in a low hiss.

Draco flinched away from her.

"We are at the school." She said in a gentler voice.

He stood up. Roxanne took a step back. He was lean and tall sitting down but she didn't know how tall he was exactly until now. She just barely reached his shoulder. To her, the compartment suddenly felt a lot smaller. She grabbed her backpack and slung it over a shoulder.

"Can you help me? I do not know where I am to go."

He shrugged and opened the door to push into the hallway. A small hand grabbed the back of his shirt. Taken aback, he looked over his shoulder. Roxanne looked at him with her wide blue eyes. Someone bumped into her hard. Her head snapped around, her nervous expression disappearing at once, and Draco saw her foot snake out. The girl who had slammed into her fell forward. Draco smirked and kept walking; Roxanne followed close behind.

Halfway to the school and Roxanne still hadn't released Draco's shirt. Annoyance finally pushed him to the edge. His arm went up and grabbed her wrist.

"You won't get lost, relax a bit."

She sighed and swung her arms by her side. "What are these houses that everyone is talking about?"

"They didn't have them where you came from?"

"No. Beauxbatons didn't have them."

Draco ran a hand over his thin and tired face. "There are four houses. Slytherin, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw."

"Odd names." The girl muttered.

Draco ignored that. "There are rivalries between the houses, mainly between Sytherin and Gryffindor. They compete in Quidditch, classes, social standing, and anything else."

"What house are you in?"

"Slytherin." _Funny how I used to be proud of that. _

"Which house will I be in?"

"I suppose that's for the Sorting Hat to choose."

"The what?"

Draco scowled. "You'll see in a bit, do you always have to ask questions?"

"Were you ever fun?"

_Once upon a time, yes. _Draco didn't answer.

Roxanne's shoulders slumped. Guilt made Draco sigh. He still wasn't used to that emotion. Guilt. His father would have been very disappointed.

"Sorry." He mumbled.

"For what?" She hadn't known Draco before the War and didn't find his apology odd in the least, though anyone else would have fallen over in shock.

His guarded expression filled his features at once. Even so, he looked wounded and sad. Roxanne felt a bit bad.

"You are the first one to be kind to me here. I won't forget that." She went on her toes to kiss his cheek warmly before stretching out her legs and striding away from him.

Draco watched her leave sadly. It seemed everyone here was set out to shun him. Besides, he was the only Death Eater to return to Hogwarts after the War and nobody wanted to be associated with that. Not even a hopelessly pretty French girl wanted to know Draco Malfoy.

He couldn't have been more wrong. As Roxanne walked away, she felt her heart tug her in the other direction; back to the sad boy she had just walked away from. The rumors had said that Draco Malfoy was snarky, conceited, confident, sarcastic, and a lady's man. The young man she just walked away from seemed broken, sad, and pitiful.

"If I were you, I wouldn't speak to Malfoy." A voice that purred said in her ear.

Roxanne looked up to see a girl about her own age with sleek black hair. Her face seemed to be pushed up and back like a pug's. Her makeup was heavy and she looked like a courtesan to Roxanne.

"And who are you to be telling me who I should talk to?" Roxanne asked coldly.

"Pansy Parkinson. Slytherin."

Roxanne sniffed, for all in the world a snobby pureblood. "Seeing as I come from a purer family than you, I should be telling _you _who to speak to." Her anger was boiling quickly. The rational part of her mind was shoved aside. "_Et je dis que tu ne me parle pas et si vous dérange pas Draco, je n'hésiterai pas à faire de votre vie un enfer._"

The girl bristled at once, despite not knowing what the French girl had said. "Don't think too highly of yourself, pathetic slag."

Roxanne's hand flashed out, but suddenly a large hand grabbed her wrist. Roxanne looked back to see Draco standing behind her. His gray eyes were wary.

"Pansy, leave the girl alone."

"Why don't you crawl back to your father's cell, Death Eater? It's where you belong!"

Draco recoiled slightly. Roxanne noticed that he didn't try to retaliate. The French girl grabbed her wand with the other hand. "_Langlock!_" Pansy's eyes widened. Roxanne wasn't done. "_Locomotor Mortis!_"

Pansy stumbled backwards. Assured that both her silencing and binding spells had worked, Roxanne twisted her hand and laced her fingers through Draco's, strong and reassuring. She tugged him forward.

"I told you, I would make your life hell." She called back to the girl. "I will give you _l'une_ more chance."

Draco kept his eyes on the girl leading him away. She had just stood up for him? "Why?"

"Hm? _Ce_?"

"Why did you just stand up for me?"

"I was standing already." She said, not understanding what he said.

"I meant, why did you protect me?"

Her blue eyes were fierce. "Because somebody has to do it."

"Draco Malfoy!" A loud voice made them both jump. A huge man strode forward. His beard was a wild tangled mess. Roxanne shrank back against Draco's side.

"Hagrid. This is Roxanne Garniar. She just transferred here."

"Nice to meet you, Miss Garniar." The man smiled at the girl but frowned at Malfoy. "You know what the Headmistress said. One step out of line and you'll be on thinner ice than you already are. You're already late. The sorting's starting."

"_Je suis desole_, sir. It is my fault that Draco is late. I was… having a problem with a certain Miss Parkinson." Roxanne tugged Draco's arm. "We will leave at once."

"Well, alright then. But don't let it happen again, Miss Garniar." Hagrid said gruffly. He found Pansy Parkinson just as annoying as anybody else and he took a liking to the French girl at once; she was pleasantly polite.

The two of them walked forward quickly. At first, Roxanne was pulling Draco along. At some point, Draco gained a little more confidence and led her into the castle. She gazed in wonder at the space around them. Draco halted in front of two large shut doors. He dropped her hand quickly, as if just realizing he held it.

"You can go in. The first years are being sorted. You'll most likely be sorted after them."

"And what about you?" Roxanne's frown didn't make her any less pretty.

He shrugged. "Not there. My own house doesn't want me. Nobody wants me here." His eyes were glazed and faraway.

Roxanne slapped him hard. He focused on her, anger in his features. She smiled sweetly. "I'm glad that you can still feel anger. _I _want you there! You're my _ami_, my friend, and I'm so _nerveux_ now that I feel sick! You are going to grow some strength and walk in there with me!"

Draco stared at her. He felt thoroughly scolded though she had called him her friend. A small buzz of warmth shot through him.

A friend? Even after what he had done? Despite his past and his family?

His jaw suddenly flexed. He nodded shortly and pushed one of the doors open. Roxanne smiled at him triumphantly and walked in before him. Draco walked in after her. She stopped dead in front of him. Draco halted at her shoulder.

"_Dieu m'aide._" She said softly under her breath.

The entire hall fell quiet. The first years had been sorted but the stool still sat near the front and the hat sat on top of it. A kind, though stern, looking woman stood when Roxanne entered.

"Roxanne Garniar. It's nice of you to join us. Please, come forward."

Roxanne looked at Draco, who shrugged and walked to a far table. He sat alone, his housemates moving to avoid him. Roxanne felt a pang of guilt as she walked away from him.

"Come and sit." The woman said. "It is my pleasure to introduce Roxanne Garniar, our recent transfer student from Beauxbatons in France."

Roxanne felt all eyes on her as she walked confidently forward. She sat on the rickety stool as if it were a throne. The woman placed the old frumpy hat on top of her hair.

"Hello there, Roxanne Garniar." A voice said softly enough for only her to hear. She flinched in surprise. "I've been expecting you. I'm sorry about your parents, they were great people and we all feel for their absence. Now, let's see what I have to work with here. Hmm. You're strong, very strong. Extraordinarily clever. Plenty of courage. Gryffindor would serve you nicely."

A hiss escaped Roxanne's mouth. _No! I want to help him._

"Hmm. You're kind as well and you wish to help the Malfoy boy. You would do well in any of the houses. Smart enough to be in Ravenclaw. Brave enough to be in Gryffindor. You are much too troublesome to be in Hufflepuff. I wonder, though, how you'd be in Slytherin, considering your… history."

Vous avez obtenu d'etre putain plaisantez!_ Just put me with Draco! Put me in-_

"Slytherin!" The hat shouted.

Roxanne smirked and hopped off the stool, handing the hat to the woman. "_Merci. Je suis honore d'assister a votre ecole._"

She walked towards the table Draco sat at. The pug-faced girl glared at her. All others applauded, seemingly happy with the new addition to their house.

Why wouldn't they? The Garniar family was one of the richest in Europe. The Malfoys weren't even as rich as they were. And for all the Slytherins knew, Roxanne Garniar was just your average pureblood witch.

Of course they'd be happy to have her in their house.

That happiness did not last.

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><p><strong>Author's Note: So this is my very first chapter of my very first fanfiction. I hope you liked it! Please rate and comment, I'd appreciate so much!<strong>

French Translations: (Sorry if some of them aren't right, I used Google Translator seeing as I am not fluent in French.

-_Bonjour_: Hello

-_Merci_: Thank you

-_Et je dis que tu ne me parle pas et si vous derange pas Draco, je n'hesiterai pas a fair de votre vie un enfer_: And I say you do not talk to me and if you bother Draco, I will not hesitate to make your life a living hell.

-_L'une_: one

-_Ce_: What

-_Je suis desole_: I am sorry

-_Ami_: friend

-_Dieu m'aide_: God help me.

-_Vous aves obtenu d'etre putain plaisantez:_ You've got to be fucking joking.

-_Je suis honore d'assitera votre ecole_: I am honored to be attending your school.


	2. Rivalries Within the House of Ambition

Chapter 2: Rivalries Within The House of Ambition

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><p>AN: As usual, <strong>French Translations<strong> are located at the bottom. Thank you for reading, favoriting, and following.

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><p>"We saw you walk in with, Malfoy." A girl said with a snooty voice. "I wouldn't speak to him if I were you. He's bad luck, he is."<p>

Roxanne was sitting in the midst of the Slytherin table. Her instinct had told her to sit by Draco, the one person she knew, but the others had swamped her with questions and attention.

She had acted in the only way she knew. She had been raised as a pureblood; polite and kind. Her patience was wearing thin, however, by the time the sixth year girl brought up Draco.

"Really? And why is that?" Roxanne asked innocently.

"He's a Death Eater. He'll end up getting you killed, killing you himself, or getting you thrown into Azkaban."

Roxanne gripped her fork tightly. "If he was a Death Eater through and through, Harry Potter would not have defended him and he would not have been allowed back into school."

A boy across from her sneered. "He's a cowardly git, but he's evil still."

Roxanne's eyes flashed and she fought to constrain his anger. "You should be ashamed of yourselves! _Des enfants insenses! _He is your housemate and he went fought in the War same as you."

"You didn't know who he was before. He's nothing but a pathetic, sniveling mama's boy."

Roxanne stood up abruptly. "I will not put up with this! Draco has been kind to me and he did nothing but speak well of _all _of you." She strode down the table and sat across from Draco, in a foul mood.

Draco watched her warily. "You are not nearly as cheerful as you seemed to be before."

"I do not like them. They are entirely unfair."

"Need I remind you that they _are _Slytherins? Besides, they're being truthful, Roxanne. Before the war, I was different. I was…"

Roxanne's hand covered his. She could see the pain in his eyes. "You don't have to talk about it. It hurts you, I can see that."

"No!" He snapped. "It doesn't hurt and I don't want your pity."

She didn't let her temper get the better of her although it fought hard. "It's not pity. It's compassion."

He shrugged then and looked down at his plate. "What did they say?"

"Nothing flattering so I won't repeat it. It won't help you."

"Help me what?"

Roxanne raised an eyebrow. "Help you back onto your feet."

"I don't need any help." He said stubbornly.

She snorted. "Do not lie, Draco Malfoy. It's unbecoming."

"I'm a Malfoy. Lying is in my blood."

Roxanne laughed. It rang through the hall merrily, drawing attention to the pair of them. Draco scowled and looked at his plate. Roxanne looked around with a smirk on her face. She caught the eyes of a petite brunette with dark eyes. Those eyes defiantly looked back, with scorn and hate in them. They were strong. Roxanne winked at the girl before continuing her glance over at the hall.

Draco watched her with a puzzled look on his face. "You're a pureblood. Why haven't I heard of you before?"

Roxanne bright eyes met his. Her jaw flexed slightly. "My parents did not support Voldemort, so we stayed out of the public eye as much as we could." She noticed how he flinched at the sound of the Dark Lord's name.

Draco recovered from the shudder that moved him at the sound of the Dark Lord's name rolling of her tongue so nonchalantly. He simply nodded. It explained why his father never tried to arrange a marriage between them. The Garniar family was one of the richest families in Europe but their status of fighting for or against Voldemort would mark them traitors.

"Where are your parents now?" He asked innocently.

Her fork clattered against the table. He looked up at her sharply. Her eyes were filled with pain and her hand shook violently. She stood up at once. Before he could say a thing, she had left. She walked briskly out of the hall.

Draco watched her leave. What on earth had he said wrong? Draco wracked his mind. Garniar. Garniar. Something had obviously happened to her family that had forced her to come to Hogwarts, but what? The war was over and Voldemort was no longer a threat, so why did she flee France?

"See, Malfoy? No one wants you, even a foreigner." Someone slammed Draco's shoulder hard as they passed him on their way out.

He looked at the receding back of Blaise Zabini, a boy who he had fought besides six months before. Theodore Nott and Greg Goyle flanked him. They smirked at Draco as they left the hall.

From the corner of his eye, he saw a mass of honey colored curls. He turned slightly, to see Hermione Granger stand up. The youngest Weasley, Ginny, frowned at her. Hermione's face was turned down in a scowl. Her face was red. Draco watched as the Head Girl left the hall. He realized then that Roxanne, the three Slytherins, and the Head Girl had all left a good half an hour before the feast was to end.

If the Garniar girl had been telling the truth, she most likely said something to make the other Slytherins angry. Blaise had no patience for those who didn't obey him. He was merciless and he would most likely do anything to bend the pretty French girl to his will. Draco would have been worried if not for Hermione. The Gryffindor wouldn't let Blaise harm the girl.

Dinner was almost over when a dull explosion shook the room. Everyone fell silent, looking around in alarm. Suddenly, the doors burst open. A greasy looking Filch hobbled in.

"Fight in the corridor, Headmistress! Fight in the corridor!"

"Between who, Filch?" McGonagall was already walking towards him.

"Four Slytherins."

"Four Slytherins against _who_?" The Headmistress was looking patience.

"Each other!"

McGonagall faltered. Then she continued. "Everybody, stay here!" She swept out of the hall.

Unease filled Draco's stomach. Three against one? That was hardly fair. He didn't know how good of a witch Roxanne was, but no matter how good, she most likely wouldn't be able to stand up against the three of them.

Roxanne was cornered in some obscure hallway. Three tall boys stood around her, their wands drawn. Roxanne's pale wand was still firmly gripped in her hand. The explosion had been her fault; the dark skinned Italian had been faster than she expected.

"What is the point of this?" She spat. "We are all Slytherins!"

Zabini smirked. "Yes, we are, but _you _must be taught your place in the Slytherin court."

"_My _place? Perhaps you've forgotten who you speak to, Zabini."

The boy sneered. "You may be a Garniar, but here in Hogwarts, you are just a pureblood wench."

Roxanne laughed full in his face. Zabini's face turned dark with anger. How _dare _she laugh at him?

"_Levicor-._"

Roxanne flung a silent disarming spell at him. His wand flew into her waiting hand. She turned his own wand against him, using the spell he was going to use against her.

"_Levicorpus._"

Zabini's body hovered in the air. He screamed at her in anger. Goyle and Nott raised their wands and opened their mouths.

"Mr. Goyle and Mr. Nott!" A shout made them whirl around.

The Headmistress strode towards them, anger set in her features.

"Miss Garniar, release Mr. Zabini at once."

Roxanne obeyed. Zabini fell into an unceremonious heap on the floor. He snarled at Roxanne.

"Will someone care to explain what happened?" McGonagall looked between the four Slytherins. "This is ridiculous. Miss Garniar has been here less than a day, and I was assured that the purebloods were make as little trouble as possible. Which one of you caused the explosion?"

All three boys pointed at Roxanne.

"Is this true, Miss Garniar?"

"_Oui, _Mademoiselle. It was in self-defense and I did not mean to harm the castle in any way." Roxanne bowed her head slightly.

"You didn't harm the castle. Granted, you scared the paintings out of their frames and there's a giant scorch mark on the wall. Now, boys, what were you doing attacking someone of your own house?"

None of them answered.

The Headmistress sighed. "This has to do with Draco Malfoy, does it not? Because Roxanne spoke to him."

Roxanne smirked. "I defended Draco, I do not see why that would make them attack me."

"Mr. Nott, Mr. Zabini and Mr. Goyle, you all have detention with Mr. Filch for three weeks. If you cause any more trouble concerning Miss Garniar, you will have detention until winter holidays. Miss Garniar, I will bring you to your dormitory."

Roxanne sneered at the boys as she stepped by them after the Headmistress. She pocketed her wand.

In the dungeons, Draco sat alone in the common room, waiting for either Roxanne or Zabini to return. He had seen Granger walking towards the Gryffindor Tower some minutes earlier. Seemingly, she had not been on patrol as he expected. Anxiety made him leap off the couch and pace around the green common room. Everyone else watched him warily, but mainly ignored him.

The heavy portrait swung open. Draco spun. Roxanne stepped through into the room, followed by McGonagall.

"You're alright." Draco said without thinking.

She smirked. "Of course. You think three over confident boys could possibly do harm to _moi_?"

He scowled. "I just wanted to make sure you didn't do anything stupid because of me. I wouldn't appreciate it if you had." He stormed off, slamming the door behind him.

Roxanne didn't look ruffled in the slightest, though inside she was annoyed at his stubbornness. McGonagall looked around at the Slytherins.

"Don't you have pranks to plan or something childish along those lines?"

Roxanne hid a grin behind her hand as McGonagall led her to her dormitory.

McGonagall left Roxanne reading a French book on her bed. The woman bid the Slytherins goodnight and left with a satisfied smile on her face. The addition of Roxanne Garniar would do the school some much needed good.

Roxanne did not expect to be welcomed into Slytherin after the feast but she was pleasantly surprised.

"Um, excuse me?"

She looked up to see a girl a couple of years younger than her with curly blonde hair sitting on the bed besides her.

"_Oui_?"

The girl smiled. "You stood up to Zabini, didn't you?"

"_Oui_. What of it?" Roxanne folded the page of her book and set it down. "It's about time someone did so."

"You weren't afraid?"

Roxanne made a noise that on a less attractive girl would have been considered a snort. "I have faced worse than an unconfident Slytherin who wants more power than he deserves."

"I'm Astoria Greengrass." She held out a tiny hand.

"Roxanne Garniar."

"I know that." Astoria blushed. "You stood up for Malfoy."

"Of course I did. There wasn't a single person sitting at the table who was brave enough to defend him." She knew perfectly well the insult in those words.

"We Slytherins care only about self-preservation." Greengrass said in her defense. "Malfoy could have stood up for himself."

"You cannot always survive on your own. Everybody wants and needs friends." Roxanne watched the girl carefully.

"What about family?"

_These people are far too curious for their own good. _"Family can be either strength or a weakness. They can be used against you and torn away from you. The loss of them can drive you insane." Roxanne didn't look at the girl.

"Speaking of family, my sister hates you. I thought I'd give you fair warning."

"Who is your sister and why does she hate me?" Roxanne didn't mind having one more enemy in this place.

"Daphne Greengrass. She's in your year. She doesn't like you because you're pretty and her boyfriend kept staring at you at dinner. I mean, technically, all the guys were staring at you, but that's besides the point. She's ambitious, like all of us, so be careful."

Roxanne raised one eyebrow, a smirk playing across her mouth. "I'm ambitious, too, and I am more than capable of taking care of myself."

"She's sneaky and underhanded."

Roxanne scowled. "I was put in this house for a reason. I belong here."

Astoria did not look convinced.

Roxanne's scowl darkened. "Do you doubt the Sorting Hat?"

Astoria looked surprised. "Not particularly. I just want you to be prepared."

"Prepared for what, exactly?" Roxanne's eyes narrowed.

Astoria fidgeted under the older girl's gaze.

Roxanne lost her patience immediately. "I do not like riddles, Greengrass. When is curfew here?"

Astoria looked confused at the sudden topic change. "Ten thirty, why?"

"If I'm not back by then and somebody comes looking for me, lie to them." Roxanne slid out of her bed. She grabbed a small parcel from her backpack and slid it beneath her robe. Astoria missed that.

"Where are you going? It's nearly ten o'clock now!" Astoria looked anxious.

"Exploring. Relax, I will not get caught."

In a way, she was right. She didn't get caught by anyone who would be believed. Would people believe the supposedly loony Ravenclaw war heroine, or the innocent new French transfer who was hopelessly pretty and entirely sane?

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><p>Author's Note: Please, please, please, please <strong>review and comment. <strong>I'd appreciate very much. I hope you enjoyed and continue reading.

French Translations (There isn't much French is this one but there's a lot in the upcoming chapters. You won't really be able to understand some of what's going on unless you look back down here when you stumble across the French)

-_Des enfants insenses_: Foolish children.

-_Oui_: Yes

-_Moi_: Me


	3. Luna Lovegood

Chapter 3: Luna Lovegood

Roxanne walked leisurely around the halls until she heard the bell chime, marking ten twenty-five. She had seen only a handful of people walking around this late.

Most of them were Gryffindors, and they all watched Roxanne with wary eyes and kept their distance. She wasn't sure if it was her status of being a pureblood or her status of being a Slytherin that made them so edgy around her. She scoffed mentally at them. If it was the Slytherin status that made them wary, they were childish fools. They were focused on inter-house rivalries when there were much bigger things to fret over.

At ten-thirty, Roxanne ducked behind a rich tapestry depicting a moving sunset over an ocean. The alcove she found herself in had a large window with a velvet window sit set in the wall. She took the wrapped parcel from under her cloak.

The invisibility cloak she unwrapped was identical, if not finer, to Harry Potter's, though she didn't know that the boy-who-lived even had an invisibility cloak. She swirled the cloak over her shoulders, making sure that every inch of her was covered and invisible. She pulled the hood over her face and stepped back into the hallway.

The halls in Hogwarts were a hopeless tangled labyrinth. She wandered aimlessly. The silence of the cool castle calmed her greatly. She hadn't felt this much at peace in nearly two and a half years. She walked past the greasy Filch and his annoying cat. The cat swatted at the hem of the invisibility cloak. She walked swiftly away, before Filch could suspect anything.

Roxanne walked around for longer than she expected to. Her thoughts meandered through subjects lazily and aimlessly, never staying on one thing for too long before flitting to the next one.

"The last person I expected to see walking about after curfew was you." A dreamy voice shocked Roxanne.

She looked up and skittered backwards. A slim girl with long curly blonde hair and huge dreamy eyes stood before her. Her tie was blue.

"You shouldn't be able to see me." Roxanne said warily.

"Technically, I can't, but you smell of expensive French perfume. It's quite lovely. I'd like to know where you get it, Roxanne Garniar." The girl smiled.

Roxanne slid the hood back from her face. "Thank you. I get it specially made."

"Hmm. Smells like lilac and vanilla. No wonder the boys all drool over you." Her voice was calming.

Her voice made Roxanne like her. "Who are you?"

"Luna Lovegood. Ravenclaw. Seventh year."

Roxanne stared. "_You're _Luna Lovegood? The famous war heroine?"

The girl's smile was ethereal. "Yes, and you are Roxanne Garniar, the half-blood pureblood."

Roxanne hissed, drawing her wand. "How do you know that?"

Luna flapped her hand. "Oh, please. I won't reveal your secret. I just find the whole situation rather fascinating."

"How much do you know?"

"Why don't we go somewhere quieter?" Luna didn't wait for Roxanne to answer. She spun on her heel and skipped merrily down the hall, her curls bouncing down her back.

Roxanne was entirely confused by the girl at the same time that she was enthralled. She had heard so much about this girl. She was said to be crazy, but also a genius. She was brave, and loyal.

But everything she ever heard boiled down to the fact that Luna Lovegood was entirely insane.

Despite that, something pushed Roxanne to follow the girl down the corridor. She pulled the hood of the invisibility cloak over her face.

Luna led her into the library. Roxanne stared in wonder at the huge room. The shelves reached from floor to ceiling and wall to wall. Doors through the shelves were labeled. Large windows lined the walls. Moonlight streamed through the thick glass. Wooden work tables with cushioned chairs were lit dimly by lamps. There were soft looking couches scattered through the huge room.

"This is amazing." Roxanne said.

Luna sat on a scarlet couch and patted the seat next to her. "Come and sit, Roxanne Garniar."

Roxanne let the invisibility cloak slide off of her. She folded it over her arm and sat next to Luna.

Luna reached out to touch the fabric. Her finger brushed it, and then she rubbed her fingers together. "A finer cloak even than Harry's."

"Harry? Harry _Potter_? He has an invisibility cloak?" Roxanne was surprised.

"Of course. His father gave it to him." Luna's gaze followed something Roxanne could not see. "So, Roxanne. Why did you come to Hogwarts? Voldemort is dead, why not stay in France?"

Roxanne answered vaguely. "I'm here to be educated."

"No, you aren't." Luna surprised Roxanne.

The French girl bristled. "Yes! I am!"

"Relax." The blonde said in her easy voice.

Surprisingly, Roxanne did. She deflated slightly and leaned against the couch. "Why are you even talking to me? You're a Ravenclaw, aren't you supposed to hate me because I'm Slytherin?"

Luna looked slightly amused. "You don't believe in the inter-house rivalries. Many people who were affected by the war feel the same way. I am friends with Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws, and now a Slytherin."

"I'm not a true Slytherin."

Luna hummed slightly. "I'm sure the Sorting Hat had a reason to put you in that house."

"Only because I asked it to."

"Why would you want to be in the nasty, exclusive house of snakes?" Luna asked it as if she already knew the answer.

"To help Draco." Roxanne said simply.

Luna grinned. "You're interesting."

"Thanks, I think." Roxanne wasn't entirely sure that being interesting to a half-crazy girl was a good thing.

Luna kicked her heels against the couch. "So, you're here for a mysterious reason you won't tell anyone?"

"Yes."

"Does it have to do with your parents?"

Roxanne stiffened. She didn't know how to react.

"I think you should assume that I know everything."

"Why and how do you know so much?"

Luna shrugged. "Your family was quite interesting. I took an interest in them a few years ago and it was surprisingly easy to find information."

Roxanne sighed. "Do you know who else knows?"

"No one. I made sure that all information I found easily could not be tracked or accessed. I assumed that your family would appreciate any extra privacy I could provide."

Roxanne's relief surprised her. She rubbed her hands over her face. "Thank you. Though for all I care, the world can know. I don't have anything to hide anymore."

"Yet you haven't told anyone _here _the truth, even Draco Malfoy. No one knows you're a half-blood. No one knows how your parents died. No one knows-."

"Alright!" Roxanne cried. "I understand, but what did you expect me to do? Waltz in and tell everyone my deepest darkest secrets?"

"You said yourself you have nothing to hide. Are you ashamed?"

Roxanne scowled. "No, of course not. I just want a bit of privacy."

Luna nodded. "I understand." She yawned behind her hand. "If you need anyone to talk to besides that insufferable Draco Malfoy, you may come to me."

"Thank you." Roxanne smiled at the blonde girl.

"I hope there's pudding tomorrow." And with that, Luna Lovegood walked out of the library, leaving behind a wary, but surprisingly calm, Roxanne Garniar.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>I just realized that this is a painfully short chapter. Sorry about that to those of you reading. I have about five other chapters written at the moment that I just need to edit and I'll put up within the next few days.

As always, thanks for reading and please rate!


	4. Nightmares

Chapter 4: Night Mares

Draco's nightmare that night was worse than usual. He thrashed in his sleep, covered in cold sweat with his eyes rolling wildly behind closed lids. His muscles tensed and did not loosen. His jaw tightened and his teeth clamped together. His hands gripped the sheets so tightly that they tore.

_Screams echoed through the sparse room in Malfoy Manor. Draco shuddered, keeping his eyes on the black wood beneath his feet. His mother's hand was painfully tight on his arm, just above his elbow. His father stood tensely on his other side. The now familiar screams of Hermione Granger shot through Draco like knives._

_The screams suddenly changed. They weren't as loud, not nearly as weak._

_"Draco, look up." His father said through clenched teeth._

_Slowly, begrudgingly, Draco obeyed. His mother clamped a hand over his mouth as he nearly screamed. It wasn't Hermione Granger pinned to the floor under his Aunt Bellatrix. It was a fragile faced girl with long sleek hair. _

_Roxanne's mouth was clenched shut and the screams that were torn from her throat were strangled. She wasn't crying as Hermione had been. Her eyes were glassy but they stared at him in desperate hope. They pierced through him, very nearly causing him to fall to the ground._

_Bellatrix laughed – no, cackled – at Roxanne as she carved into her arm. Somehow, Roxanne wrenched her other arm free. She struck Bellatrix across the face. The crazy haired witch halted her actions at once._

_Roxanne didn't flinch at the woman's enraged glare. Bellatrix shoved her wand into the pulse point in Roxanne's neck._

_"_Crucio_."_

_Roxanne's jaw unhinged and her scream made Draco flinch into his mother's side. It was so loud, so full of pain, and so raw. It seemed this curse was worse than the others. Roxanne thrashed under Bellatrix._

_"Stop it! Just stop!" Draco suddenly shouted, throwing off his mother's arm._

_Bellatrix didn't turn to him. It was as if she hadn't heard him. Draco tried to shove her off Roxanne, but his hands passed through her shoulder. Bellatrix suddenly tore a dagger from her belt. Roxanne sobbed when it sank into her chest. She didn't scream. She didn't cry, but she stared straight into Draco's eyes._

_"Draco. Why didn't you save…"_

_Her voice trailed off as the light faded from her bright eyes. A single tear streaked down into her hair. Bellatrix laughed and stood. She wrenched the dagger out of Roxanne's chest. Her tongue flicked out against the blade, lapping at the blood on it._

_"Such dirty pure blood. She deserved everything that happened to her. Every single thing."_

_Draco roared, trying desperately to get to Bellatrix. His wand didn't work and his hands passed through her like smoke. Narcissa and Lucius looked on the scene without pity. Draco ran his hand through his hair, angrily yanking at the blonde locks. He hadn't noticed the tears sliding down his face until his fingers slipped over the slick skin._

_"I'm sorry, so very sorry." He gasped through the heaving sobs._

Draco woke up with a shout, his hand gripping his wand so tightly that his nails dug into his palm. He looked at the mess of damp, torn sheets. His entire body ached, as if he had been exercising for hours. He felt entirely exhausted.

The curtains around his bed were suddenly shoved aside. A worried, a very much alive, Roxanne appeared before him.

"Draco? _Mon dieu. _Are you alright?" Her face was creased with concern.

"Garniar. You're alive."

She frowned. "Of course I'm alive! Don't be ridiculous, where would I be?" She didn't let on how worried she was.

Only then did he begin to hear the other voices. They were shouting at her.

"What the hell are you doing in here?"

"How did you get through the wards?"

"Get out!"

Roxanne ignored all of them. "You've been having… what are they called? Night dreams? Bad dreams?"

"Nightmares? Yes."

Immediately, Roxanne wrapped her arm around his waist, tugging. "Come one, we are going to the _infirmerie. _No!" She scolded when he opened his mouth to protest. "Don't argue with me!" Her anger rose sharply. "_Etes-vous hors de votre esprit? Comment pourriez-vous laisser passer ca sur le? Il est normal d'avoir des symotomes traumatiques après! Pourquoi ne pas vous dire un guerisseur? Ils pouraient cous ai aide il ya longtemps et que vous n'auriez pas a passer par tout cela! Ou vous pourriez avoir fif a quelqu'un! Que die m'aide, vous etes un idiot!_"

**"Are you out of your mind? How could you let this go on? It is normal to have post traumatic symptoms! Why have you not told a healer? They could have helped you a long time ago and you would not have to go through this! Or you could have spoken to somebody! God help me, you are an idiot!"**

Roxanne and Draco hobbled through the common room. He was silent and swaying while she continued to ramble in French. She managed to get him out of the common room and up a few staircases before he slumped against the wall. His knees gave out and he slid to the floor.

_"Non! Draco, regardez-moi! Espece de salaud insupportable, c'etait un reve! Ce n'etait pas vrai!" "_**No! Draco, look at me! Intolerable bastard, it was a dream! It was not true!"**

"Damn it, woman." Draco moaned. "I can only understand every third word that comes out of your bloody mouth."

"Idiot!" She cried, pulling him to his feet. "You're so heavy!"

"I told you that you didn't have to do this."

"No, actually, you didn't." She said, hauling him along. "I didn't let you tell me that."

"I haven't even known you for a full day and you're already -."

"You're friend, Draco." She said coolly. "I don't care what you say or think. I am your friend."

"Why?"

"That's the million galleon question." She wouldn't admit that she felt a compassion for him because they were so similar. He was going through just as rough a time as she had gone through and she wanted desperately to help him.

"Madam!" She cried as she kicked the door to the infirmary opened. "Madam! We need help, here!"

A bustling woman came out of a small office. "What's wrong? Draco Malfoy! It's only the second day of school and you're already in my sight!" She turned to look at Roxanne. "And who are you?"

"Roxanne Garniar. Draco's having nightmares. Awful ones. I could hear them in the girl dormitories. He needs help."

"I told you, I'm fine." He said stubbornly.

"No! You're not!" She cried. She turned back to Madam Pomfrey. "Please, _help _him!"

"Draco, dear, come with me. We'll get you some potions and see how you feel."

Roxanne leaned against the door frame and watched as the plump witch ushered Draco to a white bed and sat him down. She gave him some vials and told her to lie down.

"Is he alright?" Roxanne asked the woman nervously. Her hands fluttered uselessly.

"He should be fine, but ask him yourself."

Roxanne sat on a stool besides Draco's bed. His eyelids fluttered.

"Are you alright?" She asked.

"As fine as is expected."

"Draco, what was the dream about?" She reached out tentatively to touch the back of his hand.

He flinched away from her touch, remembering the dream very vividly. "I don't want to talk about it."

She snorted. "No one wants to talk about their nightmares, but they should."

Draco ran a hand over his eyes. "It is not something I want to think about, let alone speak about it." His voice was sharper than he had intended.

She flinched away from his voice. Her mouth turned down and her eyes filled with hurt. She stood up stiffly. "Fine then, I'll be going. I'm sure Madam will bring you breakfast."

Draco sighed and rolled onto his stomach, falling into a sleep filled with the dark and peaceful absence of dreams.

Roxanne sat at breakfast besides Astoria. Astoria watched her a bit warily. The other witch had angry waves of practically raw magic roll off of her. The air was cold around her.

"So, where'd you go last night?" Astoria asked lightly.

"The library. Gorgeous place." Roxanne stabbed a strawberry with more force than she meant. The fork slammed against her plate, making Astoria jumped.

Roxanne was trying desperately to ignore the whispers of the Slytherins around them. Finally, she lost it. She stood up, slamming her hands against the table.

"_Comment osez-vous? Ne parlez pas de choses que vous ne comprenez pas!"_ She spoke so swiftly and angrily that only a couple of those who heard her understood. **"How dare you? Do not speak of things you do not understand!"**

Roxanne plucked a strawberry from her plate before storming angrily from the hall. Everyone stared at her in shock. And of course, they all noticed when Luna Lovegood stood and followed her.

"You should be more patient with him. He will come around. He needs you as a friend, now and always." Luna said, surprising Roxanne.

"Does he know that? Is he just stubborn or is he oblivious?" Roxanne leaned against the wall, crossing her arms over her chest.

Luna smiled serenely. "A bit of both."

* * *

><p><strong>French Translations (Those longer than a few words are written after they are said in the story)<strong>

_Mon Dieu: _My God

_Infirmerie_: Infirmary

**Author's Note: **_I _know that was a short chapter, but there are many more coming up. I hope you enjoyed it! Please rate and favorite.


	5. Hermione Granger

Chapter 5: Hermione Granger

Roxanne found classes at Hogwarts almost painfully easy. She excelled at Charms, Potions, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and even the boring history classes. The only thing she struggled with was Transfiguration.

Two weeks after Draco's worse nightmare, he found himself seeking out Roxanne. For the past fifteen days, the French girl had avoided speaking to him alone. She still walked with him to classes and sat with him at meals, but the time they were together was filled with slightly uncomfortable silence.

Draco found Roxanne in the library, sitting alone at a large table with books spread all around her. Her long hair was twisted on top of her head, her robes were tossed casually aside and her sleeves were rolled up.

"Hey."

She looked up and smiled sweetly. "_Bonjour._ What are you doing here? Don't you have Quidditch?"

He scowled. "I decided not to go for the team."

She frowned and looked down at the red quill she twilled between her fingers. "You should have. It would show them your indifference to their treatment."

He sighed and sat across from her. "But I'm _not _indifferent to it. If I played Quidditch now, I would not enjoy it in the least. I'd rather remember fond memories of the sport."

She shrugged. "It is your choice I suppose. Now, help with this Transfiguration work, I'm hopeless at it."

Draco went around the table to sit beside her. He looked at the book closest to Roxanne, scanning the text before laughing slightly.

"Is this the homework for tomorrow?"

"_Oui_." She looked at him miserably for a moment. "You have not looked at it yet, have you?"

He shook his head. "No."

"You've got to be joking." She groaned. She looked around. "No one else is even here."

Draco looked around as well. He groaned inwardly when he noticed one person sitting in the library with them. Hermione Granger sat in an alcove with papers and books spread on the table and the floor around her. He prayed to all the gods he could think of that Roxanne didn't notice her sitting there.

She did.

"Ah, seeing as you are hopeless, I'll ask the brightest witch of our age." She stood and took two steps before Draco grabbed her wrist.

"Roxanne, don't." Draco said. He was ashamed to hear pleading in his tone. "We shouldn't talk to her."

"Why ever not?" Roxanne looked at his in confusion.

Draco swallowed nervously. "She… she doesn't like Slytherins." _Especially me. _The images of Hermione Granger being tortured in his home flashed through his mind almost painfully.

"Well I need help in Transfiguration, and you do not know what you are doing." Roxanne strode towards the curly haired brunette sitting in the corner table. She stood there for a moment. The girl didn't seem to notice. "_Pardon_. You're Hermione Granger, aren't you?"

She looked up, surprise registering in her dark eyes. "Here to tease me, Slytherin?"

"Of course not." Roxanne smiled warmly. "I was having trouble with the Transfiguration homework and Draco's no good at it. I was wondering if you could help me. I've seen you in class and you are very good."

Hermione looked over her shoulder at Draco, who shrugged as if to say _I couldn't stop her, she's too bloody stubborn. _Then she looked back at Roxanne. "Sure. Sit down."

"Oh, _merci._" She turned. "Draco, come here. You need the help as much as I do."

"You should at least try to be a Slytherin, Roxanne." He muttered as he took a seat at the table that was as far away from Hermione as physically possible.

"I am Slytherin." Roxanne insisted. "I'm clever when I want to be, sneaky if I need to be, and ambitious at all time." She smirked and sat across from Hermione. "I'm Roxanne, by the way. Roxanne Garniar."

"You're the French transfer, aren't you?" Hermione asked only out of manners. Of course she knew that the pretty girl sitting across from her was Roxanne Garniar.

Before Roxanne could answer, Draco cut in with a sneer. "And a pureblood, so you better treat her with respect you filthy mud-."

Roxanne's wand was out in a moment. "_Silenco._" She said lazily and Draco made no more noise. The French girl turned to Hermione. "I'm not a pureblood, and blood is blood. Just ignore him. He's an arrogant fool."

Hermione looked shocked. "You're not a pureblood? But you're in Slytherin!"

"I'm a half-blood. By father married a muggle-born witch against his family's wishes." Roxanne's voice was tight. "I'm the half-blood heir to the Garniar family." Her eyes slid to Draco, who was trying to speak in vain. His eyes were wide. "Are you going to make a scene?"

He thought for a moment and then shook his head. She removed the spell. He was silent for a bit. "Why didn't you tell me?" His voice was cold.

"Because you didn't ask." Roxanne said in an equally cold tone.

Draco stood up stiffly. Roxanne's eyes followed him sadly as he turned and left the room. Hermione raised her eyebrows and watched with a curious light in her eye. Roxanne rubbed her face and turned back to Hermione.

"Sorry."

"Lover's quarrel?"

The girl snorted. "No, of course not. Draco and I are just friends."

Hermione didn't believe that for a moment. "Anyways, what're you having trouble with in Transfiguration?"

Roxanne leaned forward to run her finger along a page of text. "This."

Hermione left the library late that night feeling oddly content. The Slytherin half-blood girl was unexpectedly friendly and charming.

"Neither of them knows it yet." A dreamy voice said from besides Hermione.

"Hello, Luna."

"Hermione. It's nice to see you. I haven't spoken to you in a while."

Luna smiled. "Yes, not for a few days. How do you like Roxanne?"

Hermione fiddled with the buckle on her school bag. "I like her. I wasn't expecting that."

"Yes, I do to. It's too bad that Draco is so oblivious."

"Oblivious to what?" Hermione was used to such observations from Luna.

"Roxanne is very nearly falling in love with him. She sees herself in him and wants to help him. She would do anything for him. Yet Draco won't let his walls down long enough to let the one person who truly understands him into his heart." Luna twisted her long necklace around her finger.

"Luna, it's been only a month since school started. How do you know so much?"

"Roxanne comes to speak to me about twice a week. For some reason, she trusts me. I'm not sure why."

Hermione halted in front of the portrait of the fat lady. "Well, good night Luna."

"Good night, Hermione. Oh, and by the way, you shouldn't be ashamed of being friends with a Slytherin. She will be a good friend to anyone who lets her." Luna smiled sweetly.

"Luna, the inter-house rivalries are childish. You know they don't matter to me."

"That's good. It doesn't matter to her either."

Luna left Hermione then. The Head Girl shook her head before ducking into the common room. She was a bit surprised to see Ginny Weasley still awake.

"Where've you been?"

"At the library, as usual. I was helping Roxanne Garniar."

"The French Slytherin?" Ginny's eyebrows rose. "Does she need knocking about?"

"No!" Hermione cried. "Merlin, no! I actually like her. She's charming and quite nice."

"Nice?" Ginny laughed. "She's a _Slytherin_, Hermione."

"Honestly, Gin? The rivalries between houses don't matter. I couldn't care less about them." Hermione sat across from her. "It seems she doesn't care either."

Ginny shrugged. "You are the better judge of character than I am. Do you want me to tolerate her?"

"Not if you don't want to. You're your own person, Gin. I just want you to give her a chance. She isn't a normal Slytherin." Hermione smiled. "She cast a silencing spell on Draco."

"Aren't they together? I rarely see them apart from each other."

"No. They are just friends." Hermione wasn't about to repeat what Luna said to Ginny and she certainly wasn't going to tell her how Draco stormed out when he found out that Roxanne was a half-blood.

* * *

><p><strong>French Translations<strong>

_Bonjour: _Hello

_Oui: _Yes

_Merci: _Thank you

**Author's Note: **Third chapter uploaded this weekend. I hope you enjoyed it, and I'm sorry the chapters have been so short lately. I promise they got longer. I'd love it if you'd rate this.


	6. Let Me In

Chapter 6: Let Me In

For three days, Draco ignored Roxanne. Despite her being his Potions partner and sitting next to her in three other classes, he didn't say a word to her. Astoria felt incredibly awkward sitting at meals with them. Roxanne sat against the wall, facing the room while Draco sat across from her.

Hermione continued helping Roxanne in the library after school and she spoke to the Slytherin without listening to what people said about them. She found herself liking the girl more and more.

Luna carefully avoided any conversation that would lead to Draco. She found herself entirely surprised by Roxanne's past. The girl had been through as much as any of them yet she never let on the war affected her.

One day, the Headmistress called Roxanne to her office in the middle of Potions. She frowned, puzzled as to why the Headmistress would suddenly ask for her. She did nothing wrong as far as she knew.

It took her longer than it should have to find the Headmistress's office. The woman was standing outside it.

"Did you get lost?"

Roxanne blushed delicately. "A bit."

McGonagall smiled and beckoned the girl into her office. Roxanne stared at the circular room in awe. Her eyes fell on a large orange bird behind the desk.

_Phoenix_. Her eyes took on a suddenly steely look that the Headmistress did not miss.

"Sit."

Roxanne sat in front of the Headmistress. Inside, she fluttered nervously like a little songbird trapped in a cage. The phoenix gave her a bit of needed strength. She didn't let her feelings show on the outside. The stern looking woman sat down and sighed. She suddenly seemed much less menacing.

"Miss Garniar. Thank you for coming to see me."

"Of course, Headmistress." Roxanne said politely.

"I wanted to speak to you."

_Obviously. _The girl thought, but she said nothing.

"I noticed that you have been around Mr. Malfoy lately, speaking to him and such?"

"Yes, madam. I have. Is there a problem in that?"

"Oh, of course not! Quite the opposite, really. Do you plan on continuing your contact with him?" The woman's eyes were piercing.

Roxanne's eyes flashed. "If you mean to ask if I will listen to the ridiculous things students have been telling me about him, no. I do not. Draco is my friend; I will not abandon him because of foolish peer pressure."

The Headmistress beamed. "Very good, then. You're a very strong girl, I might add."

Roxanne nodded a little. "_Merci, _madam."

"Now, Draco Malfoy. You've clearly noticed the way people reacted to having him back in school. I'd like to enlist you to help him."

"I was planning on it from the beginning."

"Very good. The war changed him that much is obvious. He isn't the same person he was before, or even during the war. I believe that you could help him… pick up the pieces, if you may. And you may be able to help influence the way others see him here."

"In what way?"

"Well, your family for one. It's not a secret who killed your parents. Anyone could look it up if they wished." Roxanne flinched in her chair. She didn't want to be reminded. "I'm sorry for my bluntness. It's painfully obvious that you felt no respect towards Voldemort. Therefore, your befriending a Malfoy would be seen as tolerance towards those who were once against us, and forgiveness for their actions."

Roxanne's jaw flexed. "If Draco was one of those who had to do with my family's murder, I assure you I would not hesitate to kill him. I befriended him because it is obvious he made the wrong choice and he knows it. If he were a true Death Eater, I would have nothing to do with him."

The Headmistress frowned a bit. "Out of curiosity, have those who were there all been captured?"

"Yes, I believe so." Roxanne lied smoothly. Of her knowledge, two were still on the loose of six people who witnessed her parent's murder.

The Headmistress nodded. "Anyway, back to Mr. Malfoy. You're in his house, which means you have all the same classes and free periods. Do you play Quidditch?"

Roxanne's eyes widened. "_Bonne cieux_, no! Beauxbatons did not have Quidditch, we were schooled to be ladies."

"Oh, well then. I do not know if Draco plans on trying out for the team this year."

Roxanne interrupted. "He isn't. He thought it best if he didn't."

McGonagall nodded. "I see. I would like you to keep an eye on him as much as possible."

"I do not plan on being the boy's mother, Headmistress. I plan on being his _friend._ I will not hover over him and I will not suffocate him with my presence."

The Headmistress nodded. "Very well then, Miss Graniar. Thank you for coming. You may return to class now."

Roxanne stood. She resisted the urge to curtsy, as was habit. "Good day, Headmistress."

The Headmistress watched the girl leave with curious eyes.

Roxanne was thoroughly distracted for the rest of the day.

Draco noticed as soon as soon as he sat across from her at dinner. He tried to catch her eye but she avoided it. Half snarling in frustration, he reached across the table and grabbed her chin.

"What is wrong?" He asked lowly.

Her eyes were hard. She swiftly kicked his leg under the table. He cried out in pain and let go of her face.

"You do not have to manhandle me to speak to me!" She snapped.

"Well I don't know what else to do! You're ignoring me and have been for days!"

"You ignored me first!" She cried.

Draco's gray eyes flashed. "You never told me that-!"

"_Ne vous l'osez! Vous n'avez pas le droit de reveler ca!_" She shouted. **"Don't you dare! You have no right to reveal that!"**

Draco and Roxanne were standing now. Everyone in the room was silent and staring at them. Draco didn't know what she said exactly but he had an idea; he knew enough French to know that Roxanne was telling him he didn't have the right to say she was a half-blood.

"Why didn't you tell me before?" Draco said under his breath.

"Because you never cared to ask!" Roxanne was nearly crying with her anger. "_J'ai essayer de vous aider et d'etre votre ami, maid vous n'avez meme pas me donner le temps de la journee! La seule personne a l'ecole qui est reellememnt interesse a vous connaitre, vous! Draco! Et vous n'aurez meme pas leur donner une chance. S'il vous plair, juste me laisser entrer! Juste me laisser entrer. _Please." Her eyes were pleading. **"I try to help you and be your friend, yet you don't even give me the time fo day! The only person at school who is interested in getting to know you, _you, _Draco! And you will not give me a chance. Please, just let me in! Jet let me in. Please."**

Draco was struck dumb. He watched hopelessly as she fled the hall. He saw Hermione Granger looking between him and the door with a curious look and Luna Lovegood looking at him sadly. "Fuck." He swore before stepping over the bench and hurrying after Roxanne.

"Roxanne!"

"I knew you would follow." She was waiting right inside the entrance hall, leaning into a shadow with her arms crossed over her chest.

"For Salazaar's sake, Roxanne." He gasped. "What did you say back there?" He leaned against the wall next to her.

"I asked you to let me in." She said simply.

"Why do you think I'd let you?" His voice was weary.

She turned her face up to look at him. "You cannot expect be to believe that you want to be alone. There isn't a person in the world who wants to suffer in isolation."

Draco sighed. "Nobody wants to help me, Roxanne."

He watched her stretch her fingers out and clench them into fists again. He heard her mutter softly. "_Stupide, oublieux, naïf, aveugle, home ridicule. Commont diable est-il un Mangemort?_" **"Stupid, oblivious, naive, blind, ridiculous man. How on earth were you a Death Eater?"**

"Just speak English." Draco said.

"In the great hall, I told you that you are a fool. I want to help you! Yet, you are so stubborn that you don't see that!"

"Why do you want to help me so much?" His voice was rough.

Roxanne shut her eyes for a moment. "You and I are very much alike. Nobody was there for me when I was suffering the most. I don't want you to be alone."

"Am I just a project then?"

"No! Of course not. _Dieu. _Do you think I'm a terrible person?" She looked at him.

"No." He said honestly, avoiding her eyes. "I just don't understand why you'd try so hard to try to fix something that will forever be broken."

Roxanne put her hand on his arm. He looked down at her tiny hand, feeling something stirring in him. In a matter of a month, this girl had barged into his life and made him feel something he had never felt before. He wanted to protect her and laugh with her. He wanted to tell her things he kept bottled within him. With a jolt, he realized he wanted a friend.

"Everything can be put back together." She said with a smile. "I believe in you."

* * *

><p><strong>French Translations:<strong>

_Merci: _Thank you.

_Bonne cieux: _Good heavens

_Dieu: _God


	7. A Day's Work

Chapter 7: A Day's Work

Hermione, Luna, and Roxanne all sat at the same table at the library. Books and paper spread were spread across the entire surface. Hermione was scratching out an essay furiously. Luna was reading her herbology book with a surprising amount of interest. Roxanne had essays spread around her but her eyes were on a platinum haired man sitting on the opposite side of the library. Draco was chewing his bottom lip.

Roxanne snorted. She was about to stand up when someone fell into the chair across from her. She looked from Draco to the red headed girl sitting in front of her.

"I'm Ginny Weasley." She held out a hand.

Roxanne smiled. "I know that. I'm Roxanne. Roxanne Garniar."

"I know that, too."

Roxanne raised an eyebrow, sliding her eyes over to Hermione. The brunette witch was watching them with careful eyes.

"You're dating that boy." Roxanne said nonchalantly. "Harry Potter."

Ginny laughed. "Yes, _that _boy. And Hermione's dating that _boy's _best friend and my brother."

Roxanne grinned. "Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger? So the rumors are true; you should've told me before, Hermione."

Hermione blushed. "I just assumed you knew."

Luna spoke without looking up from her book. "Roxanne may be perceptive but she isn't particularly good at putting the pieces together."

"I'm no Luna Lovegood." Roxanne quipped back.

Ginny's laugh was loud. Hermione hid her smile behind her hand. The librarian glared fiercely at their table. Roxanne looked down at her work, fiddling with her quill. Ginny watched her.

"Hermione, I like her."

Roxanne raised one eyebrow. "I am sitting right here."

"I can see that." Ginny stood. "Now, you might want to tell _your _boyfriend to stop looking over here. I feel a bit uncomfortable."

She left. Roxanne's gaze went to Draco at once. He looked away quickly. He drummed his fingers against the table he sat at.

"I'll be right back."

Hermione and Luna looked at each other and then they watched Roxanne walk across the dimly light library. She slid into the seat across from Draco.

"See something interesting, Draco?"

He looked at her and smirked. "I'm just surprised to see you talking to Weasley."

Roxanne shrugged. "She spoke to me first and I'm quite charming when I speak to friendly people. Anyways, do you want to sit with us? You look pathetically lonely."

Draco glared at her. "Just because I am not friends with Gryffindors and Ravenclaws does not mean I'm…" He trailed off when he saw her raised brows and small smile. He scowled. "Fine, I'm lonely, but I won't go sit with you."

She pouted slightly. "Your choice, I suppose. I will see you back in the common room?"

He nodded.

"_Au revoir, monsieur._"

Draco watched her walk back to the table. Hermione tossed a book to her and Luna looked between Draco and Roxanne, a small smile on her face.

Draco was sitting in the Slytherin common room.

Thinking.

He was thinking so much, in fact, that his head hurt.

He wanted to trust Roxanne and he wanted Roxanne to trust him, but telling her things and letting her in was against every instinct in his very being. The things he saw and the things he was forced to do would terrify Roxanne and she would not stay by his side. More than anything, he did not want her to leave. He wanted her by his side at all times.

"Hey. Are you alright?" A cool hand pressed against his forehead.

He jumped in surprise. Roxanne was kneeling in front of him, concern etched in her face.

"I'm fine." His voice was hoarse. "How long have you been here?"

"Just now. You seemed … what's the word? _Devaste._ Broken. Sad." She pushed some of his soft hair out of his eyes.

"I'm fine, honestly."

Roxanne stood up and sat beside him on the couch. She tucked her legs under her. "What's wrong?"

He clenched his jaw. His fists curled against his thighs. Seeing this, Roxanne reached out and took one of his hands. Her fingers were cool as they opened his hand.

"You can tell me anything."

He cast a silent silencing spell around the couch so that no one could hear what they were saying. "I can't tell you everything."

"Why not?" She demanded gently.

He swallowed and looked away from her. "If you knew the truth, you would run from me."

She sighed softly. "Have you ever thought that there is more to me than you know? I have faced worse things than you, Draco Malfoy. Nothing you could say would scare me away."

"Are you entirely sure about that?"

"Yes." She said stubbornly. "I asked you to let me in; I will not abandon you after gaining your trust. No matter what you did in the past, you are different now."

"How can you have such blind faith in someone you do not know?"

She smiled. "It is not blind faith. It is trust."

She couldn't have known how much those three little words affected him. He looked at her profile. "Thank you." He said softly.

She turned and smiled at him. She patted his cheek softly. "_Ce n'est rien. Bonne nuit et doux reves._" **"It is nothing. Good night and sweet dreams."**

She went up to her dormitory. Astoria was sitting on the bed next to hers, a small smile on her face. Roxanne was wary at once.

"What's going on?"

"Since when have you been dating Draco Malfoy?"

"I'm not." Roxanne said, lying on her bed with a sigh. "We are just friends."

"So sitting on a loveseat under a silencing spell is something that _friends _do?"

"We were talking! There is nothing wrong with that!" Roxanne was losing her patience.

"He'll leave you soon if you don't shag him." A cold voice said from the doorway.

Roxanne turned to see a girl who looked like an older version of Astoria. "Daphne Greengrass, I presume."

The beautiful girl rolled her eyes. "Draco only speaks with girls to sleep with them. If you don't let him into your knickers soon, he'll abandon you like he did all the others."

Roxanne cocked her head to the sound, a Malfoy-worthy smirk on her face. "How long ago was it he rejected your advances?"

The older girl's expression darkened. "Shut your mouth, whore!"

Roxanne stood slowly. Astoria scooted back onto her bed, folding her legs under her. Daphne stepped back slightly as Roxanne advanced on her. The French girl was a good six inches shorter than Daphne.

"If you _ever _speak to me like that again, I will not tolerate it."

Despite her fear, Daphne smirked. It shook slightly. "You have no right to threaten me. I am the Slytherin Queen here. You're just a bloody slag who can't keep her hands off of Draco!"

Roxanne's smirk curled her mouth. She continued to step forward and Daphne continued to retreat. They were in the common room now. Daphne's eyes slid over the faces of those who she knew. No one stepped forward to help her.

"You are _queen_?" Roxanne mocked. "You're a spoiled, belittling, _bully _who thinks trivial school spats are important. You think you're so important but you are little more than dirt beneath the world's feet."

"You have no right to speak to me like this!" Daphne cried.

"_J'ai le droit._" Roxanne said coldly. **"I have every right."**

Draco watched from his spot on the loveseat. He knew Roxanne well enough to know that she only spoke French when she was angry. He guessed that right now, she was very, _very_, angry.

"_Impedimenta!_" Roxanne flicked her wand up.

Daphne's legs seemed to have a mind of their own. She fell backwards. Roxanne stood over her.

"_Engorgio!_"

Roxanne laughed and deflected the spell easily. "_Serpensortia._" A large black snake fell onto the floor and slithered forward. It raised itself up next to Daphne. A scarlet frill flared around its head and hissed, revealing dripping poisonous fangs.

Daphne screamed. Her face was pale and she shook.

Roxanne smirked. "The Queen of Snakes, you say? You're _scared _of snakes."

"_Expelliramus._" Daphne gasped.

"_Stupefy._" Roxanne shouted.

Daphne's eyes rolled back in her head. Roxanne pocketed her wand. Everyone stared at her. She raised an eyebrow. "I thought you were Slytherins, aren't you supposed to break the rules?"

Draco covered his laugh with a cough. Roxanne smirked and turned back around to return to her bed.

"She deserved that." Astoria said from her bed. "It does her good to be kicked down every once in a while. Keeps her humble."

"_That _is considered humble?"

Astoria laughed. "For Daphne, yes."

"Interesting."

"Are your days always this exciting? I mean, your first day you faced Zabini, you befriended Granger and her friends, and now you've faced down my sister."

"All in a day's work."

* * *

><p><strong>French Translations<strong>

_Au revoir, monsieur: _Goodbye, good sir.

_Devaste: _Devestated.


	8. Old Magic

**Author's Note: **I realize that Draco isn't really the person that JKR wrote him to be, but I had this idea that he acted differently towards those he hadn't grown up hating – in this case, Roxanne – and obviously the war changed him. So, I don't think he's out of character, per se, he's just like any other character and he has different sides to him and you're seeing a side of him that JKR never addressed.

* * *

><p>Chapter Eight: Old Magic<p>

Draco stared at the letter on his desk, leaning his chair back as if to get as far away from the piece of paper as possible. Of course, that's exactly what he was trying to do. Get away from the letter, its contents, and its writer.

"What is wrong?" Roxanne put her hands on his shoulders, frowning when she felt the tensed muscles there.

He jerked his chin at the letter. "It's from a healer at St. Mungo's. My mother is ill."

"What is wrong with her? Will she be alright?"

"Read it for yourself." He handed her the letter.

She sat in the chair next to him, her body facing his as she read. He watched her face carefully. Despite his anxiety, he felt flashes of amusement as her expressions flickered across her face.

"That is not good." She shook her head. "It is unlike anything I have heard before."

He rubbed his eyes. "I should go to her." He stood up.

She stood up as well.

"What are you doing?"

"I am coming with you." She started walking towards the door of the common room.

"Roxanne, no." He grabbed her shoulder. "You have classes."

"This is your _mother_, Draco. I will not let you go through something like this alone." Roxanne was stubborn. _She may not make it, after all. _

He glared down at her for nearly a minute, his fingers digging into her arm. She ignored the pain and glared up into his eyes. She could see the battle raging inside him. He finally released her.

"Fine."

She smiled at him. He strode past her and she followed, the letter clutched in her hand. Draco ran nervous fingers through his fine platinum hair. The idea that Roxanne was going to meet his sick mother piled on top of the nagging anxiety that his mother may not even survive this mysterious sickness made him nauseous.

Roxanne had to jog to keep up with his long strides. By the time they reached the Headmistress's office, she was gasping for breath. Draco would have been amused if he wasn't so distracted.

"Mr. Malfoy? Miss Garniar?" McGonagall looked surprised when they burst in.

"Headmistress, I just got this letter from my mother's healer at St. Mungo's. I must go to her." Draco shifted his weight anxiously.

Roxanne stepped forward and stood so that her warmth pressed against Draco's side. "The illness seems to be unable to be cured by the healers there. The letter did not mention any particulars." She held out the letter but the Headmistress did not take it.

"You may use the Floo. Send word to let me know how long you are staying." Draco nodded and stepped towards the fireplace with Roxanne. "Oh, and Miss Garniar?"

"Yes, Headmistress?"

"Your English is improving greatly. Keep an eye on…" Her eyes traveled to Draco's back.

"Yes, Headmistress. _Merci_." Roxanne smiled mischievously.

Then, she grabbed Draco's hand and stepped towards the flames. Draco threw a handful of the powder into them. They stepped through and disappeared in a flash of emerald fire.

Roxanne was still holding Draco's hand as they strode down the white corridor of the hospital. Roxanne was tense; she hated hospitals. Draco noticed her grip tightening. He didn't know that his grip was doing the exact same thing. By the time they reached the door that read _Narcissa Malfoy_, neither could feel their hands.

"Mr. Malfoy!" An older healer emerged from the room wringing her hands. "You got my letter."

"Healer Cypher. How is she?" Draco's hand tightened convulsively.

Roxanne's expression twisted with the pain.

The healer avoided his gaze. "Not very well. I can't think what happened! It's unlike anything any of us have ever seen. We can't heal it and it's just getting worse!"

Draco let go of her hand and pushed through the door. Roxanne stretched her fingers out, wincing as feeling rushed back into them. The healer was about to turn but Roxanne grabbed her arm.

"Wait. I want you to tell me everything about this sickness. Every little detail."

The healer nodded and did as the French girl asked.

An hour later, Roxanne stepped into the room. Draco was sitting by the bed, gripping his mother's pale hand. Roxanne leaned by the door, looking at the beautiful woman in the bed and her beautiful son desperately holding onto her as if he alone could keep her there. Roxanne walked over to them. She touched Draco's shoulder lightly.

"Draco."

He looked up at her and she nearly reeled in shock. There were tears in his eyes.

"Draco!" She hugged him around the neck, cradling his head on her shoulder.

Without hesitation, his arms wound about her waist, dragging her closer. "I can't lose her! She's the only family I have left."

"I know. I know." She said softly. "It's hard, I know."

"You don't know!" He said harshly. "My father's in Azkaban and my mother's going to die! You're parents are in France, alive and well."

She froze. Her jaw flexed so hard that he could hear it creak. She stepped away from him.

He looked up at her miserably. There were tears running down her face. She drew her wand suddenly and pointed it at him.

"Roxanne, what are you -."

"_Stupefy._" She caught him as he slumped over. She conjured another bed and put him on it. Roxanne looked at him for a long while. "_Je vous deteste, Draco Malfoy_." **"I hate you, Draco Malfoy."**

She turned to look at the usually formidable Narcissa Malfoy. The woman was beautiful, even through the effects of being deathly ill. Her skin was alabaster pale and her hair was golden. Her face was strong and her mouth full. Roxanne went by her bedside and brushed her fingertips along the woman's cheek.

Suddenly, the door opened and Healer Cypher stepped in. "Oh, my! Is Mr. Malfoy quite alright?"

"_Merde._" Roxanne swore under her breath before turning. "_Confundus._ Do not let anyone in here until I come out."

The woman's eyes glazed over. She smiled sweetly, nodded, and left. Roxanne cast a locking and silencing spell on the door and room. She sat on the chair besides the bed. "_Maintenant, Madamoiselle Malfoy, vous allez passer a travers cette se c'est la laisserai pas Draco sentient la meme angoisse que je ressen chaque minute de chaque jour._" **"Now Madamoiselle Malfoy, you will get through this, I will not let Draco feel the same anguish I feel every minute of every day."**

Roxanne pressed her wand between the woman's eyes and wound her fingers through the chilled fingers of the woman. She shut her eyes and began.

"_J'appele les puissances de la vielle, qui ont ete transmises par le sang de mon pere avant moi et son pere event lui et sone pere avant lui. J'appelle mon pouvoir de guerison de sauver la plus aimee de l'homme que j'aime. Je demande a la magie decerne en moi pour m'aider! J'utilise mon pouvoir non pas pour se venger, maid pour bienveillance. Aide-moi maintenant! Je l'exige de la puissance qui est legitimement le mien!_" **"I call on the Powers of Old, which were passed down through the blood of my father before me and his father before him, and his father before him. I call on my healing power to save the most beloved of the man I love. I ask the magic in me to help me! I use my power not for revenge, but for good. Help me now! I require the help of the power that is rightfully mine!"**

Gold light flared around her, blowing her hair around her face. Her pretty features contorted with concentration. The light enveloped both the sick woman and the young student. The room suddenly grew very hot, though the temperature within the gold orb dropped.

Roxanne allowed her mind to pour through her wand and into Narcissa's body. Her senses of the outside world dissolved as she was swamped by the excruciating pain and heat that was coursing through the older witch's body. It filled every fiber of Roxanne's mind.

She couldn't help the scream she sounded. The pain was unbearable. She steeled her mind after several moments of resisted agony.

Roxanne had to do this; to help and save Draco. She could handle this pain; it may be the worst she had ever felt, but she had to accept this. If she let this woman die, she would never forgive herself.

As her confidence and determination grew, the magic inside her strengthened. Ribbons of glittering gold light twisted through the woman's veins. It targeted, fought, and overwhelmed the blooming dark sickness. The sickness was tricky and slippery, but the healing magic that ran in Roxanne was overbearingly powerful.

Draco woke up sweating. He was confused as he stared at the unfamiliar white ceiling. Then he remembered. Roxanne had attacked him! He sat up swiftly, ready to yell at her. His head whirled and he groaned. When he was stable, he looked around.

The gold orb around his mother and Roxanne was nearly blinding. Draco saw her face contort in pain. Her wand tip pressed lightly between his mother's eyes. Instantly assuming the worse, Draco flung spells and curses at the orb. Veins of light flashed when the magic struck the orb and it only seemed to absorb it. Roxanne took no notice whatsoever to the disturbance.

Draco shouted for help and tried to open the door but he found himself both unheard and trapped. None of his spells did anything. He yelled in frustration and paced back and forth. He tried, at one point, to grab Roxanne's shoulder but the gold magic crackled at him and nipped his fingers like fire. He hissed and stepped away.

He looked at Roxanne carefully though the orb. Her eyes were shut and she was murmuring softly. Her hair blew around her gently and her arms shook. Her wand glowed gold and dark runes encircled it. The hand that wasn't holding her wand, gripped Narcissa's hand tightly.

"What are you doing to her?" He screamed at her. "If you kill her, you will be dead before you take your next breath!"

He didn't get any sign that he had been heard. He sat on the bed that Roxanne had conjured. Every ten minutes or so, he'd toss another spell at the golden barrier. For three hours, he waited, paced, and sat anxiously.

Three hours passed and suddenly, the golden light disappeared. Roxanne gasped and dropped her wand. She shuddered. Draco leapt to his feet. Roxanne shakily got to her feet, gripping the back of her chair fiercely.

Enraged, Draco grabbed her shoulders. His fingers dug painfully in the tender spots between the bones.

"What did you do?" He yelled furiously. "You probably _killed _her with some barbaric magic! I swear to every god, dark wizard, and dead person I'm related to you, I will kill you so painfully that you will beg for mercy."

Her weariness did not put a damper on her temper. She rose to her full height, which was still insignificant to his angry bulk. Her eyes, blood shot but still fierce, flashed angrily. "_Tue s fou! Ne pas question de magie que vous ne comrenez pas! J'etais le seul qui peut la sauver. Vouliez vous a mourir?_" **"You're crazy! Do not question magic that you do not understand! I was the only one who could save her! Did you want her to die?"**

He cried out in frustration. "Speak bloody _English_!"

She did not obey, seeing as continuing to speak in her native language would annoy him farther. "_Vous etes un etre humain terrible! Ne vous assumez le pire dans tout le monde? J'essayais simplement de vous aider et vous meacer ma vie! Vous vile de porc, quelq'un devrait frapper un certain sens en vous!_" **"You are a terrible human being! Do you assume the worst in everyone? I was just trying to help you! You vile pig! I should knock some sense into you!"**

His eyes widened slightly. His face paled even more. She hadn't thought that possible. "Did you just call me _pork_?"

She sneered. "_Cochon! Ane! Poulet! Face a cheval! Belette!_" **"Pig! Ass! Chicken! Horse face! Weasel!"**

"You insufferable bitch! Why do I even allow you to breathe the same air as me, unworthy half-blood!"

Her hand flashed out, slapping him hard across the cheek. "_Vous cretin absolu! J'ai sauver la vie de votre mere quand personne d'autre au monde ne pourrait me remercier et vous en insultant mon sang et ma famile?_" **"You absolute moron! I save the life of your mother when no one else in the world could and you thank me my insulting my blood and my family?"**

Draco breathed in deeply, readying himself to throw more insults and stinging blows.

"Draco, what's going on? Why is there someone yelling… in French?"

The weary voice of his mother made him whip around. His mother pushed herself into a sitting position with shaky arms. Her face was pale but smiling. Draco took one step towards her before whipping around to face Roxanne.

"She's alive. Why didn't you say you saved her?"

"I did." She said softly. "Maybe it's time to teach you French."

Draco looked at her sadly, suddenly remembering the tears running down her face just before she knocked him unconscious. He brushed a thumb under her eye, where tracks of dried tears still stained her skin. Then he went to his mother's side.

Roxanne went into the small bathroom attached to Narcissa's room and splashed her face with icy water. She ran damp hands through her hair, pushing it out of her face. She looked at herself in the mirror. The use of the Old Magic had worn her out. She felt the exhaustion in her very bones.

In the room, Draco embraced his mother fiercely. He was made weak from his relief.

His mother smiled warmly.

"Are you alright?" He asked, gripping her hand. "Merlin, I thought I was going to lose you."

"I'm fine, Draco."

He didn't look very sure. "Do you know what happened? Who did this to you? That was most certainly a magic illness."

"Draco, I have many enemies in the world. I do not have an inkling of who did it to me, when, or even how, but I do know that right now I am cured."

"They said that you couldn't be cured." He said softly.

"But I was. Now, tell me about that girl you were yelling at. Distract me from myself."

Draco's shoulders slumped. "That's Roxanne. She's a … a friend of mine." He felt unsure using that word.

Narcissa raised one brow. "A friend? That is unexpected."

He smiled weakly. "I know. She crept up on me."

"What is she like, this friend of yours?"

Draco's smile broadened. His eyes light up and he sat a bit straighter. His mother observed this all in silence and allowed him to speak.

"She's amazing; honestly, I don't know why she puts up with me. She's clever and strong and kind and confident. She seems to be there whenever I need her, and she knows the right thing to say. She's got a temper as short as mine though."

Narcissa shook her head. "That's all pleasant, but tell me about _her_."

Draco thought for a moment. "When she's upset, and doesn't want me to know, she mutters in French. When she's upset, and wants me to know, she yells in French. She always eats her desert before her meal. She bites her lip when she's thinking deeply. When she's anxious, she twists her ring around her finger, and then she gets this look of desolate sadness and loss on her face when she looks at the ring. Snow makes her cry, though she thinks nobody sees. She's terrified of Unforgivable Curses, even when they're just mentioned in passing. She flinches at high laughter. Every morning, she watches the sun rise from the Astronomy Tower and every night, she watches it set. She brushes her teeth and does her hair and makeup like Muggles do. She cleans and does chores the Muggle way and she only shops at Muggle stores unless she has to shop for magic things."

Narcissa smiled. "That's more like it. You love her, don't you?"

Draco's head snapped up and his eyes were guarded. "Mother, be serious. I don't love anybody. I'll please you and father by marrying a pureblood and having pureblood babies."

"You can marry whoever you want. Your father may care, but I don't. Now, go get her. I want to speak to her. And then call for the healer, I need to figure out how she cured me."

Draco nodded and stood. He shoved his hand in his pockets. He leaned against the closed bathroom door.

"Roxanne." His voice was soft against the door. "She wants to speak to you."

Roxanne opened the door and stepped around him. "Does she speak French?"

"Yes. Fluently."

Roxanne nodded and went to the woman's bed.

Narcissa instantly assessed the girl. She was petite and slim. Her hair, dark with water, would have been light brown and feather soft. Her blue eyes were bright and dancing. Her skin was olive toned. She carried herself gracefully, as if she were royalty. Her full mouth was curved up slightly. She sat down besides the bed, her eyes searching the woman's face.

"_Bonjour, mademoiselle Malfoy. Comment vous senntez vous? Vous aves ete tres malade, mais vous etes competement gueri maintenant." **"**_**Hello, Mrs. Malfoy. How do you feel? You have been very sick, but you're healed now."**

Narcissa Malfoy smiled. "_Quis dois-je dois ma guerison mirac uleuse d? Cypher Guerisseur._" **"Who do I owe my miraculous recovery to? Healer Cypher?"**

Roxanne shook her head. "_Non, madame. Je vous ai sauve._" **"No, ma'am. I saved you."**

"_Vous? Un enfant? Comment avez-vous fait quelque chose d'aussi puissant quand tous les guerisseurs dans le monde ne pouvait pas?_" **"You? A child? How could you do something as powerful as that when all the healers in the world could not?"**

"_Mon nom est Roxanne Garniar. J'ai les moyens de la puissance que personne d'aitre._" **"My name is Roxanne Garniar. I have the means to power that no one else does."**

Narcissa's eyes suddenly went wide. She gripped Roxanne's hand fiercely. "You are Antonio's daughter? And here I was, wondering why I woke to someone yelling in French. I am so very glad to meet you."

"_Vous avez connu mon pere?_" **"You knew my father?"** Roxanne refused to switch to English. She did not want Draco hearing this conversation. Her eyes darted to him. He was leaning against the wall, watching them curiously. "_S'il vous plait parler francais. Votre fils ne sait rien de mon passé." **"**_**Please, speak French. Your son knows nothing of my past."**

_"Je comprends. Et oui, j'ai connu votre pere. Il etait un ami de ma soeur d'Andromede, lorsque nous etions a l'ecole. Je ne l'aimais pas alors, mais je regretted sa mort beaucoup." **"**_**I understand. And yes, I knew your father. He was a friend of my sister's, Andromeda, when we were in school. I did not like him then, but I regret his death very much."**

_"Votre autre soeur etait celui qui l'a tue." _**"Your other sister was the one who killed them."**

_"Oui, je sais cela, et pour cela je suis desole. Votre pere etait le sang pur ideal; un sans prejudges." _**"Yes, I know that, and for that I am sorry. Your father was the ideal pureblood, without prejudice."**

_"Dit la femme de Lucius Malfoy." _**"Says the wife of Lucius Malfoy."**

_"Je ne partage pas l'opinion de mon mari sur ceux qui ne sont pas pur sang. Je said ce que vous avez fait pour mon fils, ainsi que pour moi, et pour cela je suis toujours dans votre dette." _**"I do not agree with my husband when it comes to those who aren't pureblooded. I know what you did for my son and for me, and for that I am forever in your debt."**

_"J'ai fait ce que je savais, c'etait juste. Je sais ce que c'est que de perdre leur parents et je ne veux pas Draco a jamais se sentir comme je le faisais." _**"I did what I knew was right. I know what it's like to lose my parents and I do not want Draco to ever feel the way I do."**

Narcissa's expression softened. She smiled. _"Vous etes vraiment l'aimer." _**"You truly love him."**

Roxanne shook her head vigorously. _"Non. Non. Non. Pas dans la facon don't vous pensez. Draco est mon meilleur ami et je le ferais l'amour d'un mari." _**"No. No. No. Not in the way you think. Draco is my best friend, but I do not love him as I would love a husband."**

_"Pas encore, mais vous serez un jour." _**"Not yet, but you will one day."**

Roxanne's jaw tightened. She forced herself to maintain her composure towards this powerful pureblood witch. _"Vous semblez si bien sur de toi et tu n'es pas le premier a avoir dit cela mais ce qui vous fair penser. Draco m'a jamais avoir si tomber en amour aves lui?" _**"You seem so sure and you are not the first to say that, but what makes you think that Draco would ever have me if I fell in love with him?"**

_"Es-tu aveugle, fille? Voyez-vous la facon dont il vous regarde? Il peut ne pas savior de son amour, ni admettre a quiconque combine vous signifie pour lui, mais vous etes son seul soutien. Il a besoin de vous comme il a besoin d'air pour respirer." _**"Are you blind girl? Have you seen the way he looks at you? He may not know, nor admit to anyone what you mean to him, but you are his only support. He needs you like he needs air to breathe."**

Roxanne looked down at her hands sadly. Her voice was much softer now. _"Comment? Je sais que j'ai ete la pour lui, maid pourquoi ne faites-moi confiance il de toutes les personnes? Apres tout, je suis un demi sang." _**"How? I know I've been there for him, but why does he trust me of all people? After all, I'm a half-blood."**

_"Votre sang ne signifie plus rien pour lui. Vous etes tout simplement vous-meme et qui est plus que suffisant. Meme moi, je dirais que vous meritez plus que mon fils cases, et pourtant il merite de vous tous. Vous avez montre un caractere assez fort pour le soutenir a travers n'importe quoi." _**"Your blood means nothing to him. You are, quite simply, yourself and even that is more than enough. Even I would say that you deserve more than my broken son, yet he deserves all of you. You have shown a character strong enough to support him through anything."**

Roxanne's eyes hardened. _"Je ne veux pas soutenir tout le temps. Je veux etre pris en charge. Et je veux aimer et etre aime. Je ne suis pas du pur sang, et l'epouse docil, votre mari veut pour son fils." _**"I do not wish to support all the time. I want to be supported. And I want to love and be loved. I am not the pureblooded, and the docile wife that your husband wants for his son."**

_"Helas, mon mari est a Azkaban et je suis ici, dans le monde reel. Je veux ce qui est bon pour mons fils, et si ce n'est vous je serai heureux de vous accepter." _**"Alas, my husband is in Azkaban and I am here in the real world. I want what is good for my son and if it's you, I'll hapilly accept your blood and your personality."**

Roxanne smirked slightly. _"Vous semblez etre en sautant quelque chose de vital. Vous parlez du marriage et de l'acceptation et pourtant nous n'avons meme pas s'aimer." _**"You seem to be skipping over something essential. You talk of marriage and acceptance, yet we do not even love each other."**

Roxanne stood then, turning to Draco. "She is healed."

He caught her arm as she passed him. He looked down at her. "Someday, you will tell me."

She wasn't sure if he meant tell her about how she healed his dying mother, or about the long conversation she just had with the woman. She only shrugged. "Very well."

"Draco, come here."

Roxanne left the room, leaving mother and son to their happiness. She didn't even know that tears poured down her face; she had grown so used to crying that it no longer bothered her when she did.

She sat in a chair in the waiting room. She covered her face with her hands, hastily wiping away the tears she found there.

"Miss, are you alright?"

She looked up to see a young man in the gowns of a healer. Roxanne sniffed.

"_Oui. _I am fine. _Merci de demander._" **_"_Thank you for asking."**

The man frowned. He sat in the chair next to her and took her hand. "You can speak to me if it helps."

She shook her head. "No. It's a complicated mess."

He smiled. "You don't have to give me specifics."

For the first time in her life, she found herself telling a complete stranger things her closest friends didn't know. She told the young healer about a past she dared not tell any of her friends, thinking that they would pity her and treat her differently and how her best of friends is so naïve that he doesn't seem to notice anything wrong when it's so obvious there is something.

"Roxanne!" Draco's voice was cold.

Roxanne looked up at him, her eyes still brimming with tears. Draco glared at the young healer still holding her hand. Roxanne took her hand back, blushing under Draco's gaze.

"Is your mother alright?"

"Yes. We're going back to school. My mother wants to stay here a few more days."

Roxanne walked towards him, wiping her eyes. Still glaring at the young healer, Draco turned.

"Oh, Roxanne, is it?" The healer grabbed her hand.

"_Oui?_"

"My name is Zacharias Thomas. You can owl me if you'd like to talk again."

Roxanne smiled. "Of course. _Merci._"

Draco glared at the man before wrapping his arm around Roxanne's narrow shoulders. He directed her towards the Floo fireplaces. Without thinking, she leaned into him. He looked down at her, feeling an odd warmth spreading up from his stomach. He shook his head slightly.

_Don't be a fool. _


	9. Finally

Chapter 9: Finally

"Draco, do you want to come sit with us?"

"No."

That was how it went every single day. Roxanne sat with Hermione, Luna and Ginny while Draco sat on the other side of the library alone. Every day, Roxanne would go over to him and invite him to join them. Every day, he refused.

"Don't worry, Roxanne Garniar, I have a feeling that he will say yes today." Luna said as Roxanne looked up and scowled in his direction.

"Why do you say that?" Roxanne had grown used to Luna's oddness by now.

"Because every time he says no and you walk away, he stares at you and every day since last week, he's stared just a bit longer."

Roxanne smiled. "I hope you're right." She stood and walked towards Draco's table.

He didn't look up when she approached. "Do you want to come sit with us?" She asked, her voice just as hopeful as it was the other days.

He studied her with amused eyes. Then he shut his book and stood.

Roxanne grinned and threw her arms around his neck. He froze at once. She released him, looking as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. "_Merci!_"

Back at the table, Ginny had her hand clamped tightly over her mouth, laughing into her palm. Hermione was grinning and even Luna seemed amused. The look of panic on Draco's face and the way he stood as if he had seen a ghost was funny to all of them. Hermione looked over at Luna, who was humming a bit.

"Why are you so happy, Luna?"

"Don't you see? She's working her way farther and farther into his heart, but he doesn't seem to have noticed until now."

Ginny and Hermione looked back at Roxanne, who had a few of Draco's books in one hand and the other on his shirt sleeve. She seemed as if she thought he'd turn tail and run at any given moment. His face was still frozen in shock when he sat across from Ginny and next to Roxanne.

Hermione smiled at him a bit. "Finally. We were wondering when you'd gather enough courage to sit with us."

Draco looked extremely uncomfortable. Here was the girl he had bullied and tortured for six years _smiling _and _teasing _him. He had thought that Hermione would be the last person to speak to him in this little group.

Ginny snorted. "Relax, Malfoy. We don't bite… friends."

Draco was still rigid in the chair.

Roxanne rolled her eyes. "Hermione, do you have that Charms paper done yet?"

"Yes. Just finished it a few minutes ago."

"What did you say as your reasoning? I felt like mine wasn't strong enough."

It was clear to Draco that Roxanne would not be helping him through this. He swallowed and opened one of his books. He had only read a page when he felt eyes on him. He looked up and met the huge blue eyes of Luna Lovegood.

She smiled like she was in on a joke he had missed and looked back down at her work. Puzzled, he turned back to his own work.

Roxanne felt him gradually relax besides her. She smiled to herself as she wrote. Her essay was longer than Hermione's because of her swirling and elaborate script.

"So, Malfoy. Why didn't you go for Quidditch this year?" Ginny broke the silence suddenly. Hermione looked at her sharply. The red head didn't look away from Draco but she shrugged a little; she couldn't help but be curious.

Draco avoided her piercing gaze. "It wouldn't have been a good idea, seeing as my entire house hates me."

No one but Draco noticed as Roxanne's hand slid into his under the table. They did, however, all notice when Draco's panicked look returned and he stared at Roxanne, who stared back.

"But you're a bloody good player." Ginny plowed on.

Draco's shock distracted him from Roxanne for a moment, though her warm hand gave him a bit of strength. "Did you just say I was a good player, Weasley? I think I need to get my ears checked."

She scowled. "Just accept the compliment, Malfoy. Besides, it's true." She looked back at her book, ending the brief conversation.

In the end, Draco and Roxanne were the last ones to leave. After the others had gone, Draco turned to Roxanne.

"What the hell was that?" He hissed under his breath.

"You're going to have to specify." She said innocently.

"The… the hand thing!" He stuttered.

She raised an eyebrow. "What was wrong with that? You looked like you needed help."

"So you held my hand? That's something… something _couples _do." He stood up.

She gathered her own books, a frustrated puzzled look on her face, and hurried after him. His long strides kept him away from her for a short while.

"_Pour l'amour de Dieu!_" **"For the love of God!" **She cried. "Draco! I'm sorry if I broke some unspoken taboo! The French are intimate people and I'm used to physical contact! You don't have to be so straight laced all the time."

He whirled on her. He wasn't angry, just fast, and it scared her. She flinched. His face softened. "I'm the complete opposite. I've never been hugged or comforted. That just isn't me."

"Not even your parents?"

"Especially not them." He said sadly. "You don't need to force yourself to be nice to me."

Her eyes flashed. "Are you stupid? I'm not forcing myself; I'm only doing what's natural. I'm being nice to you because you're my friend and you deserve to be treated like a human being."

"Why do you care about what happens to me? Why did you defend me when you barely knew me? Why did you stick with me after you heard all those rumors?"

"First, you're my friend. I've said that time and time again. Second, Pansy Parkinson is a bitch. Third, because they were rumors and nothing more." She sounded so sure of herself.

Draco sighed. "You're so damned righteous."

She smiled. "And you're too stubborn for your own good."

He shook his head. As he turned to continue walking, she watched him go. His back was straight and he walked confidently. She noticed that his right sleeve was rolled up but his left one was firmly in place over where the Dark Mark was before Voldemort was defeated.

Roxanne sighed and shifted the books in her arms. She walked after Draco, back towards the dungeons.

* * *

><p>The next day, Hermione was waiting for Roxanne outside the dungeons. Draco was the first one to duck into the hallway. He flinched when he saw Hermione.<p>

"Is Roxanne in there?" She asked, ignoring his discomfort.

He swallowed. "No. She goes to the Astronomy Tower every morning."

She frowned. "Do you know why?"

He shrugged, pushing his hands into his pockets. "She's done it since she's gotten here. Goes there before the sun rises and comes down after. Then she goes back up there to watch the sunset."

Her frown evaporated. "Thanks." She turned to leave.

Draco ran a hand through his hair before walking after her. "Granger, wait."

She slowed down until he caught up. "What is it?"

He noticed that she was tense next to him. He closed his eyes briefly. "I'm sorry about what happened during the war… that time you were brought to the Manor. I honestly wanted to stop it."

"And why didn't you?"

He looked away. "Because I didn't have the courage."

He didn't see her smile. "It's alright, Malfoy. We all did things that we didn't want to and saw things that we wished we hadn't. It was a war, after all."

She turned to walk away and he easily kept up. "You're going to forgive me? Just like that?"

She nodded. "It's obvious you're different than you were before. Besides, Roxanne is a very important friend to me and she cares greatly for you."

Draco was silent for a moment. "Do you have nightmares about it? The war, I mean."

Hermione looked at him oddly. "Don't we all?"

"I thought it was only me."

"Even Roxanne has nightmares." Luna was suddenly walking next to Draco. She had bounded down the staircase besides them. "She's told me about them. Terrible things."

Hermione nodded. "She's mentioned them to me as well. Not in detail, but enough to know she's affected by them. Malfoy, everyone was effected by the war, especially us because we're so young."

Draco had been distracted. "Doesn't she get potions for the nightmares?"

Luna shook her head. "She wants to conquer them herself."

Draco groaned. "She should have been in Gryffindor."

Luna laughed lightly. "She was supposed to be, but she asked to be put into Slytherin."

"What?" Draco and Hermione said at the same time.

Luna only nodded. They had reached the Great Hall by then. Draco saw Roxanne in an alcove down the opposite hall.

"Thanks, Granger. I'll see you later, Lovegood." He turned and walked towards Roxanne.

She was leaning against the cold glass, watching the snow drifting in the sky. There were tears in her eyes. Draco put a hand on her shoulder.

"You alright? You look cold." He asked softly.

"I'm fine." She whispered. "I hate snow."

"Why?"

He felt her tense under his hand. "It brings back memories I'd rather not remember."

Draco wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "Bad memories lose their painfulness after a while."

She laughed sadly and shook her head. The movement caused a couple of tears to race down her face. "These memories will never become easier. Never." She pulled away from him and walked towards the Great Hall.

McGonagall made an announcement near the end of breakfast that made all the girls shriek with glee and the boys groan.

"Tomorrow night, there will be a ball, opened to all students. It is a winter ball to celebrate the holidays. It starts at eight o'clock and ends at midnight."

Draco hardly cared for a ball, he doubt he would even go.

Next to him, Roxanne felt oddly nervous. To distract herself, she asked Astoria and Draco, "Do you stay here or go home for holidays?"

"I'm going home." Astoria said, glaring at her sister down the table. "Though I'd rather not."

"I'm staying here this year." Draco said quietly. "Mother's going on vacation with some of her friends."

"Is she feeling better, now?" Roxanne asked. "I hope my magic worked."

Draco nodded. "She's better than ever and she wanted me to tell you to have a good holiday."

Roxanne smiled. "I'm glad."

"Roxanne." Astoria warned her. They were sitting opposite each other, though Roxanne was facing the wall this time. Draco sat beside Astoria on the other side.

Roxanne looked up to see Daphne Greengrass approaching her. Draco's legs were suddenly tangled in her own, keeping her in her seat.

"I wasn't going to do anything." She snapped at him.

"You would have."

"Garniar." Daphne said coldly. "I believe I have a bone to pick with you."

Roxanne looked up at her with a smirk. "Really? I don't see any bones, just a jealous slut."

Astoria snorted. Draco laughed out loud.

Daphne looked enraged. "What's there to be jealous of, _Garniar?_"

Roxanne's eyes lit up. She turned towards the taller girl. "Well, there's looks for one. Seems I stole your thunder by coming here. And there's strength, and intelligence, and wit, and actual friends."

"But not blood." Daphne said loudly.

Draco and Roxanne froze. Astoria looked confused.

Daphne smirked. "Oh, yes sister. You're precious Roxanne Garniar is a _half-blood_." Her voice was loud enough for everyone to hear. Everyone turned to stare.

Roxanne angrily kicked Draco's legs away and stood up. "Does it matter what blood is in my veins? I'm more powerful than you."

"But I'm a pureblood."

Roxanne laughed. "By name only! Do you have the money? Do you have the Old Magic? No, you don't! I heard that your _younger sister _inherited the family magic instead of you."

"And what Old Magic do _you_ have, half-blood?"

Roxanne's wand suddenly flashed out. Gold light twisted around Daphne. Cuts appeared all over the girl's arms before healing. In a moment, the light was gone.

Roxanne's eyes were defiant. "I can heal… and I can harm. Garniar's always had the choice between doing good and doing evil. If you had a brain inside that whorish little head of yours, you might know that."

Daphne looked furious. She flashed out with her hand. Roxanne ducked the blow and came up against Daphne's chest, knocking the taller girl back.

"Why did you hide it, half-blood? Were you ashamed of your mudblood mother?"

Draco saw Hermione leap to her feet behind Daphne. Roxanne, swept up in rage, didn't notice. Gold light pulsed under her skin. Draco leapt over the table and yanked her back.

"Roxanne, stop!"

She shoved him back and leapt at Daphne. The gold light cracked in the air like a whip across Daphne's cheek. A deep wound appeared and began to bleed.

"Too bad your mother doesn't know you're ashamed. Too bad she's-."

"_Stupefy!_" Hermione's voice was firm and angry.

Daphne crashed to the ground before the last word could get past her lips. Hermione stepped over her body to Roxanne. She hugged the girl.

"Are you alright?" She whispered into the French girl's ear.

"I wanted to kill her." Roxanne gasped.

"But you didn't."

"I would have." Roxanne's voice rose. "If she had said it. I would have!"

"Miss Garniar." McGonagall tucked the girl under her arm. "Come."

Draco watched, completely confused as Roxanne leaned into the older witch and walked from the room. Hermione avoided his eyes to glare at Daphne.

"If _any_ of you help her, a hundred points from your house." Hermione yelled before going back to her plate.

Driven, Draco went to the Gryffindor table and sat beside Hermione and Ginny. A few of the other students recoiled. He had just done something that had never been done before and he didn't care.

"What was that about?" Draco asked.

"I do believe Daphne told the entire school Roxanne was a half-blood when she would rather not have everyone know." Hermione said tightly.

"No. After that. What was she going to say about Roxanne's mother?"

"Ask her yourself, Malfoy. If she wanted you to know, she would have told you."

That stung, and Hermione knew. Draco's jaw flexed. He stood up to leave. Luna stood up and walked alongside him as they left the hall.

"Let me guess, you know as well." Draco said. "You both knew about the nightmares when I didn't. You probably know about her mother as well."

"I do, but only because I looked." Luna looked up at the tall young man. "Draco."

He didn't look at her.

Her hand grasped his forearm, forcing him to turn. "Draco! Didn't you ever wonder why she wears the Garniar ring? Why she came to Hogwarts? She's just as broken as you are. Don't break her heart."

Roxanne spent the entire day in the Headmistress's office. She went from speaking to the older woman, to petting the phoenix, to listening to McGonagall, to drawing memories out of her head. She admitted everything to the Headmistress. Even Luna didn't know as much as the Headmistress knew now.

"You lied to me. You said they had all been captured or killed."

Roxanne nodded. "Dolohov and a man who was indebted to him. I don't mean to let them live if I ever find them."

McGonagall sighed. "Do you think I'd let you? Do you think Draco or Hermione or Luna would let you?"

Roxanne shook her head. "Of course not. Which is why I told everyone that I had no means for revenge."

McGonagall nodded and changed the subject. "Fawkes likes you." She said, speaking of the phoenix.

"My family had a phoenix a long time ago. It protected me as a child. Voldemort killed it, of course. Our family symbol is a phoenix as well." She twisted the ring on her finger, studying the sapphires and scripted G.

"It's late. You should go back to the dorms. Hermione is waiting outside for you."

"Thank you, Headmistress." Roxanne stood and left.

Nearly half an hour later, Fawkes suddenly shrieked. McGonagall looked at the bird in wonder as it flew in furious circles around the room. It was _angry._ Something bad must have happened. The Headmistress remembered the phoenix's new found friend. _Roxanne. _

"Draco!" Astoria ran up to him as he was walking to breakfast. She was alarmed.

"What is it? What's wrong?"

"It's Granger and Roxanne! They were attacked last night!"


	10. Black Smoke

Chapter 10

Draco flat out ran to the infirmary. When he burst in, Luna was sitting between two occupied beds. He was out of breath when he reached her.

"What the hell happened? Who did this? I swear to Salazaar, I'll kill them!"

"Calm down, Draco."

He was beyond distressed as he looked at Roxanne's sleeping face. "How can I calm down? She was _attacked._"

"She's alright now. She was just roughed about and pushed down a flight of stairs."

Draco looked between Hermione and Roxanne. "Which was worse?"

Luna frowned. "Hermione, actually. It seems like she was behind Roxanne and got hit first. Madame Pomfrey still has to fix her up a bit. She worked on Roxanne first only because Hermione told her to."

Draco pulled up a chair and sat next to Luna. He took her hand in his, suddenly frightened at how frail it felt.

"Will they be alright?"

Luna smiled. "Of course. Don't you remember when you got attacked by that hippogriff?"

"That wasn't a bad wound."

"You were whining that you were going to die."

"I was a kid!"

Luna smiled, happy that he had distracted him a bit. "Now, I'm going to breakfast. I was here all night and I really would enjoy some pudding."

Draco watched her leave with a slightly confused feeling. That girl was so spacey she was mistaken for insane but she was secretly a genius.

He sighed and turned back to look at Roxanne's face; she looked so peaceful and unharmed. He wondered what she looked like when she was brought in.

"Ah, Mr. Draco." Madame Pomfrey walked over to Hermione. "I was wondering when you'd be in here. I've heard you've been close with Miss Garniar for some time now."

"Only a few months." He said. "Will they be okay?"

"Of course. I once had to regrow all the bones in a boy's arm after Quidditch. A bit of roughing up like this is easy."

_Potter. _Draco remembered that game. It had terrified him.

Draco watched as Madam Pomfrey worked on Hermione. He still held Roxanne's hand but he stared at the muggle-born witch besides him. The bustling woman noticed his gaze when she was done.

"What do you find so interesting, Mr. Malfoy?"

Without thinking, he answered. "Her blood looks just like mine." It wasn't muddy or brown. It was a loud and angry crimson.

Madam Pomfrey smiled. "Of course it is. Blood is blood."

Draco remembered Roxanne saying that the first time she sat down with Hermione in the library.

"Are you a pureblood. Madame Pomfrey?" Draco asked absently.

"Yes, Mr. Malfoy. In fact I am."

"Did you ever question the whole idea that we're above everyone else?" He turned his gaze back to Roxanne.

"Mr. Malfoy, I never believed it in the first place. My parents did, but I refused to. I heard about what happened in the Great Hall yesterday morning and that was proof that purebloods aren't all better than half-bloods or muggle borns. Miss Garniar here harbors a power that's the strongest of Old Magic."

"Do you know much about that? She's never told me about it."

"Maybe you should let her describe it for you. I wouldn't know how to. I've been always jealous of the Garniar line because of their exquisite ability to heal."

"What's your family's gift?"

"You know as well as I do that it isn't something we share, Mr. Malfoy."

"Isn't that a reason we're supposedly better? Because the old magic is passed through our blood?"

"Roxanne has it, even though she's a half-blood. It's true that the purebloods carry it most often, but I have seen a few muggle-born witches who have carried it. The Old Magic chooses who deserves to wield it. It's random at times, passed through families at others. There are some who believe that it's all predetermined by fate to keep a balance between good and evil."

Draco frowned but said nothing. Madame Pomfrey finished working on Hermione before leaving. Draco stared at Roxanne's face. He saw that her wand was on the table next to her. He picked it up gingerly.

It seemed to happen in the same moment. The wand burned his skin, causing him to drop it, and Roxanne's eyes snapped open. The hand not held in Draco's snapped out to catch the wand. Her fingers curled around the wood.

"Only a Garniar can touch it." She said wearily. "Should've warned you." Her voice was groggy.

"You're awake." He squeezed her hand lightly.

"Not for long." Her eyelids drooped. "Talk to… 'Mione. She saw who it was…" She was asleep again in moments.

Draco turned to look at Hermione. Her large eyes were open and watching him.

"Are you awake enough to talk? Seems like Roxanne wasn't."

She smiled and sat up. "I'm fine. She's already healed? She was worse than I was!"

"Luna said you were." Draco was confused.

Hermione shook her head. "Her magic heals herself naturally. She went all glowing and gold before she got us here."

"She brought you here?"

"My ankle was broken." Hermione rolled her left foot in a circle. "I think she healed it before we got here to make it look a lot better than it was."

"Who was it?" A muscle in Draco's jaw jumped. "I have to know, Granger."

Hermione sighed. "Who do you think it was, Malfoy?"

"Either Greengrass, Nott, Goyle, or Zabini."

"It was Nott and Goyle. Of course Daphne and Blaise would get them to do the dirty work. Nott got Roxanne and Goyle got me. I wasn't expecting it even though I should have." Hermione looked embarrassed.

"They'll get expelled, for attacking the Head Girl." Draco rubbed his thumb along Roxanne's fragile fingers.

"I know. Nothing I say can stop that."

"They did it because of what happened yesterday. Because Roxanne's a half-blood and you attacked Daphne."

Hermione nodded. "They've hated Roxanne since the first day; they just needed a better excuse." She laughed harshly. "They've had it in for me for seven years."

Draco closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Do you expect me to let them get away with this?"

Hermione snorted. "No. Though I expect you to go a bit easier on them because they'll be getting expelled."

It took all of Draco's willpower to stay seated and not run off to pummel the boys into the ground.

"Walk around, Draco. You look like you're going to explode."

Draco unwound his fingers from Roxanne's and stood up. He paced back and forth in the infirmary. He didn't say a word. Hermione watched as emotions passed over his features. His fists clenched and unclenched. His eyes sparked and hardened with anger. He opened his mouth to say something when the door burst open.

A tall redhead ran to Hermione's bed.

"Ron!" She smiled at him as he bent to kiss her forehead.

"Are you alright? I came as soon as I could."

"I'm fine." Hermione's eyes flickered to a still angry looking Draco.

Ron followed her eyes. His face flushed at once. "What's he doing here? Why is _Malfoy _here?"

"Ron, calm down and listen." Hermione began.

Ron strode to Draco and grabbed his shirt. "Did you and your friends do this, you prat? I will personally kill you!"

"Ron! Stop it, now!" Hermione's voice rose.

"You're a complete asshole, you know that? You deserve to rot in-."

"Stop it!" Hermione shouted. "He's my friend!"

Ron's face was red. "You can't be serious. How can you defend him, Hermione?"

She was calm in her rage. "Because Roxanne is my best friend and she loves Draco!"

The red head smirked. "How could anybody love an evil Death Eater? He's a pathetic, slimy little -."

A wand was suddenly pressed hard against his throat. Everyone turned in shock to see Roxanne standing there glaring at him. Her hair was tousled and the linen gown hung on her loosely. "Shut your obnoxious mouth before I shut it for you, Weasley." Her voice was rough. "You woke me up. I don't _like _being woken up."

Hermione sighed but made no move to help her boyfriend. Draco grinned. Ron sneered.

"Are you this Roxanne Garniar?"

"I am. And I see you are as insufferable as Draco says. Now, why don't you leave before I lose my temper and render you bald? I'd like time alone with him and my friend."

"Hermione…" Ron began to whine, but was cut off by a fierce looking witch.

"Listen to her, Ron." Hermione's voice was stern.

"You've got to be joking!" He cried. "Since when are you friends with a bunch of Slytherins?"

"Since the war changed us all and petty things like house rivalry doesn't affect those who've _grown up_."

Even Draco winced at this.

Ron looked between the three of them. Draco moved to stand behind Roxanne. He saw her shaking slightly and she looked pale.

"You should lay down, Roxanne." He said softly.

"I'm fine." She said weakly. She swayed slightly.

Draco caught her before she could fall and set her lightly on her bed. "And you say I'm stubborn."

Roxanne laughed. "I feel ridiculous. I could heal your mother from a seemingly incurable illness and I get weak from healing a broken ankle."

Hermione and Draco met each other's eyes. Ron felt a spark of jealousy. He had been completely forgotten.

"You didn't just heal an ankle. Hermione said you were glowing when you brought both of you up here." Draco said.

Roxanne shut her eyes briefly. "Of course. I forgot about that."

"Forgot about what?" Hermione asked.

"My powers work sometimes when I don't want them to. They must have been triggered by a serious wound. I'm not sure what though." Roxanne passed a hand over her face. "But it's usually something that's near death…" She trailed off.

Hermione's eyes grew fierce. "Ron, get me my clothes? They're folded on the chair." Ron obeyed at once, seeing the mood that she was in. She was determined to do something and it would take the end of the world to stop her.

Hermione used her wand to put the clothes on and she stood. "Draco, can I talk to you alone?"

Draco stood and walked to the door with her.

Hermione looked at him sadly. "You poor thing."

His eyes flashed. "I don't want your pity, Granger!"

"You don't even realize how much she loves you. Granted, I doubt she knows as well."

His look of complete shock made her smirk. She patted his cheek smugly before walking away with Ron, leaving behind a very confused pureblood wizard.

Luna came by later when Roxanne was asleep. Draco looked at her miserably.

"Can you just tell me what Daphne was going to say about her mother?"

Luna was struck by the tone of his voice. "Dead. Daphne was going to say that it's too bad Roxanne's mother was dead."

"Dead?"

Luna nodded. "Both of her parents were killed."

"How?"

"Find out by yourself." Roxanne said from the bed.

"You wake up like a cat." Luna said thoughtfully.

"When were you going to tell me?" Draco asked, his voice was soft and dejected sounding.

She squeezed his hand. "I don't know Draco. I didn't want you to act weird around me."

"Why would I act weird around you?"

"Go see McGonagall." Roxanne pulled her hand from his and turned on her side. In a moment she was asleep.

"Very cat-like." Luna murmured.

Draco held his head in his hands. Luna's warm hand on his arm was comforting if not a bit odd. Her large eyes were full of pity.

"She knows everything about me." Draco said miserably. "But I know nothing about her. I found out that her parents were _dead _from you!"

"She was not thinking of herself. She has fought her demons and she was focused on helping you fight yours."

"I never wanted her help in the first place."

"But you needed it." Luna patted the top of his head. "Now, go see McGonagall."

"Why would I see McGonagall?"

"Hermione said that's where Roxanne was all day yesterday. I'm assuming that means she knows about Roxanne's past." Luna brushed a strand of hair off of Roxanne's face. "If you want to understand Roxanne, you should know her past. It isn't as perfect as she makes it out to be."

Draco stood, although he clearly wanted to stay.

He passed the Great Hall as he made his way to the Headmistress's office. He could hear shouting from inside; not the usual steady noise of conversations but a full blown argument. From the sound of it, both students and teachers were involved. Draco kept walking.

McGonagall was waiting for him. Her face was grimly set as she looked at Draco's stony face.

"I want to know how her parents died." He said coldly.

"Why don't you sit down, Mr. Malfoy?"

Draco refused to sit in the chair in front of McGonagall's desk. He gripped the back tightly.

"How did her parents die?" He repeated firmly.

The Headmistress looked at him sadly. "Mr. Malfoy, if she hasn't told you herself, why do you think I'd tell you?"

"She says I should figure it out on my own, and Luna Lovegood told me you might know because Roxanne spent all day here yesterday!"

The Headmistress sighed. "You've used a Pensive before?"

"Of course."

The woman stood. She went over to a glass cabinet and picked up a small vial. On it, written in fancy script, it read:

Roxanne Garniar – Death of Parents

McGonagall poured the silvery memory into the water. Draco immediately plunged his head into the cool water. Black smoke swirled over his vision before revealing a scene before him.

_He didn't recognize the large room he was in. The ceilings were vaulted and the room was made of white marble. A long black table had been knocked into the corner. Broken chairs were scattered over the floor. _

_Draco looked around. _

_There were five men with black cloaks standing across the room. Draco shivered when he saw that his Aunt Bellatrix was the sixth Death Eater there. _

_Two people stood with their back towards Draco. Their hands were clasped tightly. The woman had the same hair as Roxanne. The man was tall and strong looking. Draco walked forward until he could see everyone's faces. _

_"My, my." Bellatrix said in her high, half-crazed voice. "You have been naughty, Antonio. You turned your back on the Dark Lord the moment you married this Mudblood. For your crimes, you will die. That half-blood slut you call a daughter will also be killed."_

_The woman, who looked so much like Roxanne it pained Draco, gasped. Her hand flew to cover her mouth._

_Bellatrix turned to stare at the woman with a sneer. "Kate Medici. Mudblood whore. Would you like to see your husband die or should he watch you go first?"_

_Draco was surprised at the malice the small woman could muster in the situation. "You may kill us, but our influence on the world will _not _be forgotten. And you will never lay a finger on my daughter!"_

_Bellatrix laughed and the sound of it was terrifying. "I have an even better idea!" She cried with glee. "You'll just kill each other!"_

_For the first time, Antonio Garniar spoke. "You're insane, Bella."_

_"No!" She crowed. "I'm brilliant. Dolohov, come here."_

_Draco flinched again when the man stepped forward. He knew that the evil Death Eater was alive and on the loose. Seeing him here made it seem as if he had come for Draco._

_Dolohov and Bellatrix cast their spells at the same time. "_Imperio._"_

_Kate Medici, Roxanne's mother, cried out as she felt the control of her body leave her. She stared at her husband with unabashed love in her eyes. Garniar stared back with the same amount of emotion in his features._

_Draco forced himself to watch as husband and wife were forced to draw their wand on each other and attack the one they loved. The torture was slow and painful. It was traumatizing even for Draco, who had no connection to these people whatsoever other than their daughter._

_Speaking of that… Draco looked around the room, tearing his eyes away from the nauseating sight before him. He couldn't see Roxanne anywhere. He frowned. He knew she had watched this happen; it was her memory after all. _

_Antonio Garniar was the first to scream. Up until that point, they both had locked their jaws, refusing to make a sound. Kate Medici had tears pouring down her face and her full bottom lip trembled. Garniar screamed when a curse from his wand sliced his wife's body from collarbone to hip. Kate whimpered slightly._

_Draco was amazed at their strength. If they had left France to go to the aid of the Order of the Phoenix, who knows how many lives might have been saved. But, they would never put their daughter in harm's way. It struck Draco then how similar Roxanne's family was to his. She and her parents sacrificed everything to stay together. His parents and he did what they were told to avoid Voldemort's wrath._

_Draco looked at his aunt. He shuddered. She was grinning. Dolohov looked grim, but there was no compassion or apology in his eyes. _

_"Bellatrix, he calls." A Death Eater behind her said._

_Bella pouted. "Well, then, Antonio, dear. I am forced to cut our play date short. Now, do as you're told_. _Oh, and _Mudblood? _Your daughter is as good as dead."_

_"No! You bitch" Kate shrieked. _

_It was no use. _

"_Kate." Antonio said brokenly. "I love you. Don't forget that."_

_Kate nodded, holding back sobs. "I love you, too. Roxanne is strong; she will find a way to-."_

_She was cut off. Green light flashed from both wands at the same time. They collapsed. Both dead by the hand of the one they loved._

_Bellatrix seemed to lose interest at once. "Let's go!" She called, turning and walking from the room._

_Dolohov took one last look at Garniar's body, shaking his head slightly. He turned and followed Bellatrix. The other Death Eaters followed suit, their dark cloaks billowing around them._

_Draco expected to leave the memory but he remained in the large room. He looked sadly at the bodies of Roxanne's parents._

_Suddenly, a sob made him whip around. He watched, understanding dawning on him, as Roxanne suddenly appeared in the corner. Draco saw the silvery billow of the Invisibility Cloak as it fell to the ground. Roxanne, looking destroyed and vulnerable, screamed in rage as she ran to her parents' sides. She shook them each though the expression on her face made it clear she knew they were dead._

"_No." She groaned. "You knew it would happen! You knew they'd come! Why'd we stay here? We could have been saved!"_

_Draco wanted to comfort her. He reached for her but her hand passed right through her cheek. She was sobbing._

_All of a sudden, she leapt up and ran through Draco. He yelled at her to stop as she realized she was running straight out the door. He followed her at a sprint._

_The Manor was on top of a large hill. Snow made the scene extremely bright. The wards must have been strong and blocked the Death Eaters from Apparating; they were still walking some ways off._

"_Bellatrix Lestrange!"Roxanne screamed._

_The woman, far below, turned. Her voice carried over the empty ground. "Halfblood whore came out to play!"_

_Roxanne ran towards the Death Eaters, her pale wand gripped tightly. Draco kept up with her easily, anxious about her well-being. _

_She was about twenty feet from Bellatrix when the woman cast the killing curse. Roxanne dodged under the green light. Her anger fueled her magic. Her wand burst into color as the power flowed through her._

_Draco had seen Roxanne angry, but not murderous. He quailed in the face of her raw energy. Two of the Death Eaters fell dead. Bellatrix had dodged all the curses sent her way, laughing insanely the entire time._

"_I killed Antonio Garniar! I killed Kate Medici! I killed the last of the Garniars!"_

_Roxanne screamed. "I'm still alive, you bitch!" One of her curses struck Bellatrix. _

_The crazy woman stared down at the gaping hole in her hip in shock. It was as if she couldn't comprehend the blood. She could understand the pain._

_She began to scream. "You dirty, fucking Half-Blood! Your father was a pathetic traitor and your mother was a whore! You are worse than the dirt under my feet! I'll kill you!"_

_Roxanne killed a third Death Eater. One grabbed Bellatrix's arm and they apparated. Roxanne screamed in frustration. She raised her wand and a streak of orange shot into the sky._

_A huge phoenix of white, orange and yellow erupted in the sky._

_Roxanne collapsed into the snow. Her hands were slick with the blood of her own parents._

_Black smoke suddenly swirled around Draco, dragging him out of the memory. The last thing he saw was Roxanne's tear stained face reflected in the orange of the phoenix._

Draco gasped as he yanked himself out of the Pensive.

He was promptly sick in a conveniently placed bucket. He was crying, and that scared him almost as much as the memory he just saw.

"Merlin, she was _there_! In the room!" He said, more to himself than anybody else.

McGonagall looked at him sadly. "Now do you understand?"

"Why didn't she tell me?" Draco sat down in the chair she offered this time. He felt heavy with the sudden realization that Roxanne was not the perfectly reared French pureblood. She had been broken by the war, just like he had, but no one had been there to help her put herself back together.

"You'd have to ask her."

"She's been doing this… being there for me and staying even when I told her to go… because she…" He couldn't find the words.

"She saw herself in you. Although everyone had been broken by the war, something in you struck something in her. She wanted to help you because there was no one there to help her. Naturally, she didn't want anyone to go through what she did alone."

Draco stood suddenly. "Professor, if you'll excuse -."

"Yes, Mr. Malfoy. Go on." She smiled as he ran out of the room.

Roxanne had left the infirmary by the time Draco got there. He swore loudly and ran down the hall, trying to find her.

"Roxanne? Has anyone seen Roxanne?"

Nobody had.

"Bloody hell!" He cried. "Where the hell is she?"

"Looking for someone, Draco?"

Luna surprised him so badly that he yelled in surprise. He leaned against the wall, gasping for breath. Luna smiled serenely.

"Roxanne is over there." Luna pointed down the hall where Draco had just come from. "But be careful, she's still a bit wobbly."

Draco whirled and he suddenly saw Roxanne making her way down the hall. She was close against the wall, trying not to be shoved by anyone in passing. Draco strode towards her. When a third year knocked into her shoulder, she cried out and began to fall. Draco lunged forward and caught her around the waist.

"Watch where you're bloody going!" He yelled at the pale kid.

"Draco, calm down." Roxanne said. Her hand was tight on his shoulder. "He didn't mean anything. I'm pretty sure I can take care of myself against a measly third year."

"Why the hell aren't you in bed?" He scolded.

"I was about to go there." She said shortly. "You interrupted me."

His initial worry over her dissolved when he remembered why he was looking for her. He suddenly hugged her tightly against his chest. Her frozen shock lasted only a split second before her arms went around his neck.

"I assume you've figured it out, then?" She asked sadly.

"Yes." He said against her hair. "And you should have told me a long time ago."

"It wasn't your burden to bear." Her voice was muffled against his shoulder.

"And my problems aren't yours to bear either, yet you insist on making them so."

Roxanne laughed. She pulled away from Draco, her hand going just beneath her left breast. Her smiled turned into a grimace of pain.

"What's wrong?" Draco asked, alarmed.

"Nothing. Just a formerly broken rib. It's still a bit sore." She rubbed the area softly. "I should just go back to my room. I'd like to talk to Astoria." She smiled at him warmly. "Walk me there?"

He nodded. She looped her arm through his and together they walked down the corridor. Draco glared at anyone who got too close to Roxanne. She frowned at him.

"What's the matter with you? Are you going to suddenly start treating me like a china doll because I watched them die?" Her voice was unexpectedly light.

"I'm treating you like a china doll because you were very nearly beaten within an inch of your life." He said patiently.

"Oh, right." She said lamely. She suddenly stopped him, tugging on his hand. "Draco?"

"Yes? What is it?"

She seemed to struggle to find her words. "You… you won't treat me differently because you know this, will you?"

He realized that that was why she never told him. She was scared of being treated differently because of it. He gripped her shoulders tightly, forcing her to look at his face. "I will treat you as I always have. You don't have to worry about that."

She smiled. "Really?"

He smiled back. "Of course. That's why you didn't tell me, isn't it? You didn't want to be treated differently." She nodded. "But then why did you tell Luna and Hermione?"

She shook her head at his pained tone. "No, I didn't tell them. They both already knew. Luna because she did research and Hermione because the Order of the Phoenix knew."

"Why would the Order have known?"

Roxanne looked away. "I proclaimed myself one of them the moment Bellatrix left my sight. They know everything that happened and I helped them as much as I could."

Draco pulled her into a courtyard. "How? Hermione said that she never met you."

"She had no reason to." Roxanne sat on a wrought iron bench. "I only dealt with those higher up; Kingsley, Dumbledore, Moody."

"How did you help?"

"I can't tell you that; surely you understand that, Draco? The Order may have been disbanded but I will take their secrets to the grave." Roxanne didn't take her eyes off of him.

"Of course, sorry about that." Draco sat next to her. "What about fighting, did you ever fight?"

"Not unless I had to." Roxanne wound her fingers together. "I mostly healed; I vowed to use my family magic only for good. I healed those who needed to be healed and I tried to recruit as many powerful and rich families as I could."

"You were stronger than me. Braver."

She shook her head. "No, Draco. I was driven by rage and hunger for revenge. Had my parents survived, I doubt I would ever have the courage to do what I did. I just wanted to kill all of them. Every Death Eater I saw, I had to fight not to kill. I wanted each and every one of them to die a thousand painful deaths."

Her voice shook. Her nails dug painfully into her palms. Draco tugged them apart softly, placing on of his between them. Her grip tightened on that instead. She bent forward and pressed her face against their entwined hands. He felt the coolness of her tears against his skin.

"I was a monster." She gasped.

Draco grabbed her shoulder tightly. "Roxanne, listen to me! You are not a monster! It was normal to be angry and want revenge. But you're wrong! You are not a monster."

She only sobbed harder.

Draco pulled her against him. "It's alright."

She sniffed and looked up and over his shoulder. "Hermione." She said.

Hermione and Ginny walked over to them. The red head tugged Roxanne away from Draco. "Come on, lass. Let's go dress shopping. It'll cheer you up."

Roxanne nodded and let Ginny pull her along.

Draco looked at Hermione with one eyebrow raised. "How did you know would work?"

"She's French, Draco. Have you ever met a French woman who hasn't liked to shop?"

He laughed. "I suppose you're right, Granger."

Hermione smirked up at the pale haired Malfoy. "Have you asked her to the ball yet?"

Draco scowled. "Go buy frivolous clothing, Granger."

Hermione's smirk only grew as they parted ways.


	11. Just A Dress

Chapter 11: Just A Dress

Draco stretched himself onto the couch Roxanne was sitting on in the Common Room. She moved away from his feet, glaring at him.

"Must you take up the _entire _couch?" She snapped.

He frowned teasingly. "Darling, what's wrong? Don't get your panties in a twist."

She only continued to glare at him as he continued to stretch, pushing her farther and farther into the couch arm.

She finally made a strangled noise in the back of her throat and launched herself off the couch. Draco laughed as she sat in a chair. She scowled at him and opened her book again.

Behind his smile, he was concerned. Roxanne had been a bit off all day. She was short tempered and impatient. She snapped at him whenever he tried to speak to her.

Behind her scowl, she was annoyed.

"Who are you taking to the ball tonight?" She asked after nearly twenty minutes of silence. The curiosity had finally gotten the better of her.

He snorted. "I'm not going. It's foolish."

With a burst of rage, she hurled the book at him. He barely dodged the heavy volume. "Roxanne!" He cried, but when he looked up, she was gone.

Astoria looked up when the door slammed behind Roxanne. "You obviously don't understand women." She said, clearly amused.

Draco glared at her. "It's not easy to understand those who are insane."

Astoria laughed. "You should go. To the ball, I mean."

"Why would I do that?"

"Because it would make her happy and whenever she is happy, you're happy."

Draco scowled, turning the book in his hands over and over. "Is everyone in this school so bloody perceptive?"

Astoria didn't answer, she only went back to her magazine. Draco's scowl turned into a frown. He finally stood and went to his room to dig through his trunk for his suit.

"Have you seen her yet, Weasley?" Draco asked Ginny.

"For the tenth time, _no_, Malfoy. She'd come down that staircase like everybody else. Would you please, relax? You're making Luna far too happy."

It was true, Luna was grinning and humming softly to herself. Her hair looked even paler than it looked normally against the vibrant yellow of her dress. Her large eyes studied Draco as if he was a painting.

So far, Hermione and Roxanne were half an hour late. Ginny, Luna, Astoria and even Draco had arrived on time. Draco had paced anxiously for some time before Hermione gave him some calming drought. It had worn off a couple of minutes ago. He turned to scan the room again.

"Malfoy." Astoria elbowed him hard.

"Ow, what the hell was that for?" He scowled as he turned.

His eyes widened slightly as he saw the two figures stop at the top of the staircase. Hermione stepped into the light first. Her hair was more controlled, and she wore a white gown that floated around her. Her eyes found Ginny and Luna and she walked down the stairs a bit faster than she should have.

Draco would have smirked or laughed at her as she practically fled from the center of attention, but his eyes were on Roxanne as she stepped forward.

Her hair was parted to the side and it curved around her face. Her lips were painted red and her eyes rimmed lightly with dark kohl.

Her dress was dark blue. It clung to her curves and fell to the floor. There was one shoulder. Her shoulders were straight and her jaw thrust out slightly. A diamond hung around her throat and sparkled.

Draco suddenly found himself at the foot of the stairs. Roxanne walked down them to meet him, smirking at him slightly. He took her hand and led her to Hermione and the others. No one spoke; they all stared at Roxanne except for Hermione.

"I think we should have all expected this." Luna said softly. "Yet, we've all been taken by surprise."

Roxanne looked down at the blue silk, a puzzled little frown on her face. "But it is just a dress."

Draco made a noise in the back of his throat. "Just a dress? Is she serious?"

Hermione grinned. Draco was staring at Roxanne like a blind man stares at the sun. Roxanne laughed a little, clearly having fun with this.

"Do you dance?" Draco asked.

Roxanne scoffed. "Do I dance? I'm French, of course I dance!"

Draco gathered his wits slightly as he led her to the hardly used floor. Everyone was staring at Roxanne. Draco put his hand on her waist. She lightly put her hand on his shoulder. The traditional steps were easy enough.

"You look… pale." Roxanne said, looking at his black suit.

He frowned slightly. "I like black."

"And I like stars, but I don't have a trunk full of them."

He smiled at this. "No, but I suppose you wish you did."

She looked at him oddly, but before he could ask, the music changed. Without thinking, both of them shifted.

His hand went to her back, lower than it should have been. She smirked at him. He made the first move, leading her into a dance that matched the music in their ears. Draco knew that he was good at dancing but the girl in his arms put him to shame. She moved like water, fluid and perfect. The music was traditional but her dance was her own. She pressed herself against Draco at some times and flowed away from him at others.

"What on earth are you doing?" He asked as he trapped her against him.

"I, Mr. Malfoy," she said as he twirled her out. "am dancing. You, on the other hand, are simply walking in a funny pattern."

Draco scowled. "You're not very nice."

"I'm only nice when I feel like it." She said with a smirk. Her leg flicked around his.

He lifted her suddenly and twirled her. She laughed out loud. Draco stared at her, half awed and half terrified, as he realized.

_I'm falling in love with her._


	12. Christmas

Chapter 12: Christmas

Roxanne was curled under her blankets, shivering with the cold. It was three in the morning and she wasn't sleeping. Her nightmares had been worse than usual that night and she was absolutely terrified to fall asleep again.

The day before, most of the students left on the Hogwart's Express for winter holiday. Nott and Goyle were among the ones to leave, although they were never coming back.

Roxanne and Draco were the only seventh years, and the only Slytherins left in the castle.

It was Christmas Day.

Roxanne finally gave up. She pushed back her blankets and stepped out of her bed. Her bare feet barely touched the cold stone floor. She groaned and grabbed her wand. She summoned boots, jeans, and a sweater. She dressed swiftly.

She was about to dash across the common room when she noticed Draco sleeping on one of the couches. She smiled at him and returned to her room. She retrieved a small box from under her pillow and dropped it into Draco's hand as she passed him.

She made her way up to the Astronomy Tower like she did every morning. Roxanne faltered when she reached the exposed platform at the top. A long package leaned against the railing in front of her. She recognized the shape of it and reached for it.

A crisp envelope was tied to it. She opened it and turned it over. A long chained necklace with a pendant fell into her palm. Roxanne unfolded the note and read:

_Roxanne – I thought you might want a new view of the sunset. If you need any lessons, you know where to find me. The other part is... a bit sentimental I suppose. –DM_

Curious, Roxanne opened the oval shaped locket made of slightly tarnished silver. She looked at the inside, half-expecting it to be empty of pictures.

She gasped and the locket slipped from her fingers. She grabbed the fine chain before it could strike the floor. She looked again at the moving black and white photographs of her late parents.

Her mother, whose likeness to herself was abit surprising, had softer and kinder features than her daughter. Her cheeks were rounded and her nose a bit more delicate. She smiled warmly up at Roxanne from the locket.

Her father, usually silent and strong, was smiling one of his rare smiles. He looked across the locket at the same time that Roxanne's mother did. Their eyes, full of love, met across the small distance.

Tears slid down her cheeks. She had taken this picture.

They had gone to Italy for a long weekend. Just a week after their happy vacation, Harry Potter claimed that Voldemort was back. The life full of love and carefree smiles and lazy hours had ended abruptly.

Roxanne had grown up swiftly. Beauxbaton was no longer her second home; it became a foolish place full of foolish and trivial children. She slowly lost her closest friends.

Her parents rarely smiled. The house grew dark, somber, and silent.

A few short years after the trip to Italy, her parents were gone.

Forever.

This picture captured her last childhood memory.

Her last happy moment before she met Draco.

Roxanne cried for a long time. She slid onto her knees and sobbed into her hands. She missed the sun rising.

After she had calmed down, she reread Draco's note.

Roxanne smiled shakily and tore open the rough paper that was wrapped around the broom. She knew enough about Quidditch and brooms to know that this one was one of the finest money could buy. The handle was dark, nearly black in color, and polished to such a high sheen that she could almost see her reflection in it. The stirrups were crafted of fine silver and the bristles were black and streamlined. On the end of the handle, in silver script, were the words _Phoenix Rising. _

Roxanne's smile widened. She ran her hands over the fine broom. She hugged it against her chest and leaned against the cold railing. She clasped the locket around her neck, grasping it tightly in her hand.

She let three more tears streak down her face before she slid the cold locket under her shirt and carried the broom over one shoulder.

Draco woke up with a start. He heard something fall onto the floor as he sat up on the couch. He rubbed his eyes and blearily looked around him. He remembered belatedly that he had fallen asleep in the common room the night before.

He looked at the floor and saw the long velvet box resting near his foot. He bent to open it. There was a note on rich paper resting inside it.

_Draco – because no matter what blood runs through the veins of my family and no matter blood runs through the veins of your family, we will always be there for each other. - L'amour, Roxanne._

Draco looked at the necklace, a small smile curving his lips. A phoenix and a serpent were entwined with each other. The snake was hissing and the phoenix had its talons wrapped around the serpent's body, but it wasn't in hatred or anger. He turned it over in his hand. Engraved on the backs of the two animals were the words _Garniar _and _Malfoy. _

Draco slid the chain over his head, rubbing his thumb over the pendent before dropping it under his shirt. The metal was cool against his skin. He stood up and headed towards the door when it burst open.

A flushed and smiling Roxanne flung herself at Draco, clinging her arms around his neck. Her broom was clutched in one hand and he could see the fine chain around her neck. She kissed both his cheeks.

"_Merci. Merci._" She cried.

He laughed and hugged her back. "Your welcome. It really wasn't that big of a deal."

She smacked his arm sharply. "_Ne mentez pas!_ This is custom made!" She gestured at the inscription on the wood. "And.. the picture. I thought I had lost it years ago."

He shrugged. "I have connections. And what about the necklace you gave me? If that wasn't custom made, I don't know what is."

Roxanne blushed. "What does it matter?"

"Exactly my point." He smirked. "Do you want to try that thing out, or what?"

Her eyes widened. "Yes! Oh, of course, _oui!_"

He laughed. "Go get a coat and a scarf and a hat. It's cold up in the air."

She raced back into her room and did as she was told. A few moments later, she was in the common room, a wool jacket was buttoned over her sweater and a gold and black scarf was wrapped around her neck. A black hat was pulled over her hair.

Draco had his own broom over one shoulder. "Let's go."

Grinning, Roxanne followed.

"Did you get any other presents?" Roxanne asked as they walked back towards the castle an hour and a half later. They were both cold and wet, but happy.

"Not that I know of." Draco said, blowing into his hand. "Mother doesn't usually get me anything anymore and there isn't anyone else to buy me things. What about you?"

She shrugged. "I haven't checked, though I doubt it."

"Did you celebrate Christmas as a kid?"

She smiled. "Of course." Her eyes stared unseeingly into the distance. "My mother loved the winter holiday, so did her parents. We would get a huge tree and decorate it with lights and ornaments, and we'd have a huge dinner and then go visit my grandparents."

"What were they like?" He wrapped his arm over her shoulders, as much to support her as to keep both of them a bit warmer.

Her arm snaked around his waist. "They were wonderful. They were fascinated with magic. They didn't much like my father though, because of his rank in this world, but they were kind and accepting. They spoiled me rotten. My grandmother was a fantastic cook and my grandfather made things out of wood."

He hugged her a bit tighter. "They died, didn't they?"

She nodded. "It was a nonmagical… muggle accident with a car. The muggle doctors couldn't save them."

"I'm sorry."

"It was a long time ago. I was only nine." Her grip tightened on the broom she held. "What about you? Did you celebrate holidays?"

He shook his head. "We exchanged presents and my mother threw a huge party, but it wasn't a family thing. There were no warm feelings or smiles. Just money and impressions."

Roxanne looked up at his face. "Well, from now on it will be different."

Draco could feel his heart pounding against the necklace under his shirt. "Even after we graduate?"

Roxanne's face clouded. "I haven't thought that far ahead. I have no where to go after here."

"You can go home." He said. "Can't you?"

"I donated the manor and the land around it."

"To who?"

"To those who lost their own homes in the war. Right now, six families live there, along with seven free house elves."

He looked at her in shock. "Free elves? Why do they stay?"

"I hired them. That was the one of the conditions I gave. Keep hiring free house elves, never sell it, and burn all the furniture inside it."

He looked at her sharply. "Burn the furniture? Why?"

He felt her grip tighten. "I didn't want to go there and see anything that reminded me of my parents. I didn't want to see that long black table and relive their deaths."

He pulled her closer. "If you need a place to stay, I'm sure Hermione or Luna or Ginny would take you in."

She stared at him. "What about you?"

He looked away. "I'm not sure what I'm doing after graduation. I don't know if I'll travel or stay with my mother here."

"What do you want to do?"

"Protect people. Help those who need it." He said softly.

"Then you should do that."

"And what about my family business?" Draco asked.

"I don't know anything about business, but you are your own person and you shouldn't be forced to dedicate your life to something you don't want to do." Roxanne wasn't looking at him.

"What do you want to do?"

"I should become a healer, but I'm sick of seeing people hurt. I know that I need to…" She swallowed and decided against what she was about to say. "I need to make my parents proud."

He looked at her carefully. "You want to go after Dolohov." He said bluntly.

She flinched. "How do you know about him?"

"He was a friend of my father's and I was there when he escaped. I tried to stop him but I wasn't fast enough. I know that he's still alive."

They had reached the castle by now and were walking through the halls.

Roxanne was silent for a moment. "Yes, I want to go after him."

"You don't even know where he is."

"I'll find him." She said firmly. "I won't let him get away with what he did."

"And after that?" He asked, refusing to think about how she could very easily fail and be killed by the ruthless Death Eater.

"I might like to teach."

Draco could easily see Roxanne teaching. She was intelligent and patient with the younger students. "You might end up teaching alongside Granger."

Roxanne laughed. "Hermione is far too intelligent to teach. She should research or discover something, not waste her time teaching."

"Don't you think she'd enjoy it?"

"Yes, I would. But she would enjoy a more challenging profession much more."

Draco suddenly smirked as a thought came into his head. "What about Luna? What on earth is she going to do?"

Roxanne smiled. "She's taking up a position with her father at the Quibbler. I know Ginny's trying out for Quidditch."

Draco smiled. "I'm not surprised, actually. Weasley's nearly a better player than I am."

Roxanne poked him in the ribs. "Well aren't you modest?"

"Of course I am." He smirked at her.


	13. Who He Was Before

Chapter 13: Who He Was Before

"Roxanne! Roxanne!"

"There she is." Draco could see Hermione's head of curls over the crowd.

"I can't see!" Roxanne whined, going on tiptoes. She gripped Draco's shoulder, trying to jump. "I hate being so short!"

Draco rolled his eyes as he looked down at her. He suddenly bent and picked her up around the knees, hoisting her up onto his shoulder. She yelped and grabbed his other should to keep from toppling over. Now she could easily see over the sea of heads at the Hogsmeade train station.

"Hermione!" Roxanne shouted, waving one hand.

Hermione waved back before dragging Ginny through the crowd to them. Draco let Roxanne slide back to the ground, steadying her when her feet slid on the icy stones beneath them. Roxanne smiled at him in thanks before hugging Hermione and Ginny fiercely.

"I missed you! How was your holiday?" She asked excitedly.

Hermione opened her mouth but Ginny interrupted her. She was grinning ear to ear and she waved her hand in front of Roxanne.

"_Sainte mere de Merlin_." **"Holy mother of Merlin."** Roxanne breathed. "It's _absolument magnifique!_" **"It's absolutely beautiful."** She stared at the diamond ring in wonder. "Congratulations!" She hugged Ginny again.

Draco rolled his eyes and Hermione stood besides him. "Do all girls act like this?"

"No." She said, a bit sadly. "Only those in love."

Draco looked at her in surprise, but Hermione paid him no attention. Roxanne threaded an arm through hers and hauled her off. Draco was left alone for a moment, but then Luna appeared by his side.

"How was your Christmas, Draco?"

"Better than usual. What about you, Luna?"

The blonde girl shrugged. "It was as expected. Between Ginny, and Fleur, and Hermione, I fear I will go deaf from the shrill screams."

Draco smiled at her. "Hermione said something… about girls in love."

"Hmm? Yes, I heard that. She's right, you know." She looped her arm through his. "Come on then, the feast is calling me. I hope there's pudding."

The next day, Hermione and Roxanne sat beside the dark lake. They sat in a patch of magically grown grass. Hermione had a book opened in her lap while Roxanne trailed her fingers through the icy water.

"You knew Draco before the War, did you not?" Roxanne asked.

Hermione looked up. "Yes. We were far from friends, but I knew him."

"What was he like?"

Hermione chewed her bottom lip as she closed the book. "Until sixth year, he was an arrogant, spoiled, self-absorbed prat."

"What happened sixth year? He changed?"

"Yes." Hermione hesitated. "Voldemort ordered him to kill Dumbledore. For some reason, it changed him."

Roxanne sat up and looked at the other girl soberly. "Reality came crashing down on him? Wouldn't an order like that force him to… how do I say this? It would force him to make a quite difficult choice, no?"

"I suppose. From what I know, his family began to fall apart about then as well. The pressure made him crack. He seemed to lose his strong exterior shell. He became a normal teenager under the stress."

"Did he kill him? Dumbledore?" Roxanne asked, although she knew the answer.

Hermione shook her head. "No. Severus Snape, our potions teacher, did. Harry was there when it happened. Malfoy couldn't do it. He hesitated."

"He said once that he never wanted to become a Death Eater, that he did it for his family."

"I don't doubt that." Hermione sighed. "He was an awful person when we were younger. He hated Harry, made my life hell, and constantly bothered Ron."

"Why did he hate Harry? I know he hated you because of your blood, and Ron because he was a pureblood who didn't seem to care about blood at all, but why Harry?"

"I'm not sure." Hermione thought for a moment. "I have no idea, actually. I don't even think Harry knows why they hate each other."

"Perhaps he was jealous."

"Jealous? Malfoy jealous of Harry?" Hermione was dumbstruck. "Why on earth-?"

Roxanne interrupted. "Think about it. Draco had an awful childhood, between his father's disappointment and his own desperate attempts to please him. Yes, he was rich when Harry was not. Draco was given a bad reputation before he could even deserve one because of his father, while Harry was deemed a hero, a miracle, the boy-who-lived. Draco had everything material he could ever want, but Harry comes along and steals the spotlight. Draco was forced to choose between what was right and his family when Harry had no family to be used against him. Harry knew his choice from the beginning and he had support the entire time. Draco didn't have anybody."

Hermione was silent, a crease forming between her brows. Roxanne fell silent and tucked her chin onto her knees.

"You're more perceptive than you look." Hermione finally said.

Roxanne smiled. "And I take great pride in that trait. Luna seems to be a bit more perceptive than me though."

Hermione smiled and opened her book again.

"Did he have any friends?"

"No. He had followers, cronies, worshippers, girls chasing him, classmates, but he never had a single friend. Until you came along." Hermione didn't look up from her book.

Roxanne blushed and looked down at her hands, twisting the Garniar ring around her finger.

"He's lucky. For once in his life, the guy's lucky because he has you." Hermione still didn't look up from her book.

"Do you mind if I-?" Roxanne began.

Hermione smiled. "Go ahead. I'll see you at dinner."

Roxanne leapt to her feet. She was rushing back up towards the castle, grim determination in her mind. She ran through the halls, ignoring the looks everyone gave her. She found him in his favorite spot, the tiny alcove on the fifth floor.

She launched herself at him before he even saw her in front of him. She hugged him tightly around the neck.

"Roxanne? What the hell are you doing?" He cried. He hadn't expected her tiny form to crash into him.

"I'm so sorry!"

Without hesitating, he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her into his lap. "Why? You didn't do anything wrong!"

She pulled back. Her eyes were bright and her mouth trembled slightly. "You went through all of school without a friend. With no one there to help you! It must have been so terrible!"

Draco stiffened slightly. "Who told you had no friends? That's ridiculous! Of course I had -."

The look on her face made him stop. "Hermione told me. And Voldemort forced you to try to kill Dumbledore. Everyone hated you."

He flinched at Voldemort's name. "Everybody hates me now as well. I've gotten used to it."

She stroked his cheek and smiled sadly. "I do not hate you. I will never hate you. Hermione doesn't hate you. Luna doesn't-."

"Yes, they do. They tolerate me because of you but they don't like me." His eyes were hard. "You would hate me if you knew what I've done."

She shook her head. "No. I will _never _hate you. You are my friend and I don't turn on my friends."

"Roxanne, you don't know what I was forced to do, who I _killed_."

"That is the key word, _forced_. You did not choose to torture people or kill them. You were forced to do it. If you hadn't you and your family would have been punished."

Draco sighed. His shoulders slumped. "You don't have to apologize. There's nothing you could have done. You weren't here."

Roxanne hugged him. He rested his forehead on her shoulder and held her thin body against him. "But I am here now and I always will be." She said softly. "I promise."

"Why?" His voice was muffled against her shoulder.

"You are most dear to me. I've lost my parents and all my friends at home, but I found you. And I love you more than anything. You're most important."

He didn't say anything. He couldn't find the words. He just held her.

Roxanne smiled against his shoulder. She trusted Draco with her life and it seemed that She had finally gotten through to him. She would never betray his trust.

Ever.


	14. Every Part

Chapter 14: Every Part

"The war changed him." Hermione said as she and Roxanne walked down the corridor.

Draco was walking towards them, watching Roxanne as he moved through the crowd of students between them.

Roxanne looked at Hermione sadly. "The war changed everyone."

"I know that, but I feel like he's changed more than most. Before you came, he was like an entirely different person. When you came, it helped him becom someone who was similar to who he was before but not entirely the same."

Before Roxanne could answer, Draco reached them. Roxanne smiled at him and wrapped an arm around his waist. Out of habit, he put his arm around her shoulders.

Roxanne has always been more intimate with Draco than he was used to. She did not hesitate to say she loved him. Her hugs and touch has grown normal for him and he stopped reacting to them like they burned.

Hermione watched them with a smile. Luna fell into step besides her.

"Luna, when do you think they'll realize their own feelings?"

The two girls watched Draco and Roxanne walk ahead of them. Roxanne was looking straight ahead. Draco looked down at her smiling. They still walked arm-in-arm and Draco carried her book bag over his shoulder.

"Soon." Luna said confidently.

Hermione and Luna smiled at each other, trailing behind Roxanne and Draco as they walked down the hall.

"I heard Harry Potter's coming to visit Ginny next week." Roxanne was saying to Draco.

He wrinkled his nose. "Fantastic. Just what I need to brighten my year."

"Oh, relax. You don't even have to talk to him."

Draco looked down at her. "You're going to introduce yourself, aren't you?"

"I already know him." Roxanne said in a matter-of-fact tone. "I met him once."

"Think he remembers you?"

"I doubt it." Roxanne said. "I barely spoke four words to him and they were in French."

Draco laughed. "You certainly know how to make an impression."

She elbowed him. "Oh, shut up. You're one to talk."

"Hey, I was not myself when I met you!" He protested.

She laughed. "Of course you weren't! Any sane person would come up with that excuse."

They walked on in comfortable silence.

The next day was unusually clear, sunny, and warm. At lunch, Draco sat besides Roxanne.

"Is your Transfiguration class so interesting that you can't even think about skipping it?"

Roxanne raised an eyebrow. "Considering I think about skipping that class nearly every day, I have to answer that question with a no."

"Good. Bring your broom to the pitch when the bell rings."

Astoria looked between the two of them, barely able to suppress her sad smile. The two of them looked so comfortable with each other. Their forearms brushed and they each seemed to be completely aware of the other's every movement. When Roxanne shifted, Draco moved as well.

When they both reached for the remainder of the apple pie at the same time, they looked at each other. Draco smirked and reached a little farther. His fingers brushed the pie. Roxanne glared. She swiftly kicked him under the table and shoved his face with her other hand.

"Roxanne!" He yelled as she grabbed the pie.

"What is that English saying? You snooze, you lose?" She smirked and took a large bit of the pie piece.

Draco scowled at her. He grabbed his own fork and reached for her plate. She grabbed it and held it up.

"Not a chance, Malfoy!"

He grabbed her waist and pulled her closer so that his arm could reach the plate.

"Astoria! Help me!" She cried.

Astoria was grinning at the scene unfolding before her. "No, I think I'm rather enjoying this."

Draco had the plate in his hand now and he was eating it as fast as he could. Roxanne scowled and hit him over and over.

"At least save me a few bites." She said grumpily, turning her face away from him.

Draco smiled and pushed the plate towards her. She turned around. A grin lit up her face. She grabbed the plate and finished the pie.

"Sucker." She said through a mouthful.

He rolled his eyes. "Go get your broom."

"Oh?" She asked mischievously. "No clever retort. I'm ashamed of you, Draco."

He poked her in the side, making her laugh, and stood. "Come on."

Roxanne stood, following him out. Astoria shook her head and turned to the girl next to her to gossip.

"Where are we going?" Roxanne called as she flew behind Draco. Icy winds made her cheeks flush.

"You'll see!" He called back.

"I don't like surprises!"

His only response was to laugh at her.

After a few more minutes, Draco circled around to fly besides her. "Down there." He was pointing to a small beach on the far edge of the lake. A large oak tree grew at the edge of it. There wasn't any snow on the beach and grass peeked through the sands of the beach.

Roxanne landed lightly in the sand. "Why isn't there snow here?"

"I thought you'd want a place outside to be away from the snow. I know how much you hate it." Draco landed besides her.

"I don't hate snow. It just makes me sad." She ran her fingers over the rough bark of the tree. She dropped her broom in the soft grass.

"Is there much of a difference?"

"Yes." She said softly. "I don't want to kill the snow."

Draco laughed. He sat against the tree, sighing as he stretched his legs out in front of him. He watched as Roxanne dipped her hand into the icy water of the lake and came out with a smooth flat stone. With a skillful flick of her wrist, she sent the stone skipping over the glassy surface of the lake.

Draco shut his eyes softly, listening to the sound of her feet across the sand. Roxanne walked back and forth ten times across the small beach, before feeling the cold deep inside her. She turned towards Draco and sat next to him.

Without opening his eyes, he snaked a long arm around her waist and pulled her closely against him.

"You're freezing. Relax." He murmered.

Roxanne lay against Draco's chest. His chin rested on her head.

"What's your definition of love?" He asked suddenly.

She could feel the hum of his voice in her back. She shut her eyes. "When you would die for someone without hesitation."

"No, I mean marriage love."

She sighed. "I guess when you would do anything to see that person smile and you would sacrifice everything to make them happy. And when they're happy, you're happy. And you would die for them without wasting a thought on it. And you want to be with them more than anything, no matter the consequence, and no matter what anyone thought. You'd die for them and die without them. And you'd wait for them forever."

He was quiet for a long time.

"Why do you ask?"

He looked over the top of her head, over the dark lake towards the school. "I'm just curious."

"That's a load of crap."

He laughed shortly. "Maybe."

Roxanne whispered. "I love you."

"How is that even possible?" _And which love do you mean? _

"I'm not exactly sure."

He watched as she traced her fingers over the backs of his hand. Her smallest finger moved up his wrist. He stiffened.

"Can I see it?" Roxanne asked softly.

He only nodded. She carefully rolled his sleeve over his forearm. She watched as the muscles flexed there nervously. She rolled the arm over slowly. To Draco, she didn't seem to react in any way.

The Dark Mark was no longer vividly black. It was a scar that was silver against Draco's pale skin. Roxanne traced the snake and the skull, thinking carefully. Then she brought his forearm up and kissed the mark gently.

"I love every part of you, even this one." She said.

She could feel his heart thudding against her back. She felt his forehead on her hair and his breath on the back of her neck. His other arm snaked around her waist, holding her tightly. Roxanne cradled the arm with the Dark Mark against her, tracing her fingers over it once again before interlocking her fingers with his.

"How can you love me after what I did?"

"Because it proves that you are human. Everyone makes mistakes, everyone changes, and everyone regrets. Even you."

"What about you?" He asked, desperate to turn the attention off of him.

She sighed. "I've made more mistakes than I can count. Sometimes I don't even recognize the person I've become and it terrifies me. I regret… I regret not being able to save my parents. If I had gathered some courage, I could've at least distracted the Death Eaters long enough for my parents to escape and they would have been alive today."

"But you may not have been."

"They could have had another child, they were young. I can't have another mum or dad."

Draco rubbed his thumb against her palm. "But they couldn't have had another Roxanne, no matter how hard they tried."

She smiled. "True." She blew out a stream of air, watching as it smudged the air in front of her. "Do you ever miss your father?"

"I miss the person he was when I was a child. He was more fatherly then, at least more so than later. Until I was ten, I actually looked up to him. I admired him and I wanted to be just like him."

"What did he do to change that?" Roxanne noticed his arm tightening around her.

"I saw him kill a house elf. When I was a kid, the house elves were the closest things to friends that I had. This house elf, her name was Libby, she stole a cake from the kitchen for me. I asked her to. My father caught her. I tried to explain but he… he hit me with his cane and sent me into the wall. When I had gathered myself enough to see, he was beating the poor creature. He used… the Killing Curse on her." Roxanne stiffened at the mention of the curse. "I locked myself in my room and cried for days."

Roxanne's grip on his arm tightened. "I'm so sorry."

"It's alright. I'd rather hate them then have a skewed vision of him being a role model." His voice was low.

"But you lost a friend because of it."

She felt him shrug and she dropped the conversation.

"We should be getting back soon." Draco said quietly. He could hear the Hogwarts bell from across the lake.

Roxanne got to her feet and offered him her hand. He grabbed their brooms and handed hers to her.

"Thank you again, for the broom." Roxanne said as she mounted it.

"It was nothing."

"No." She put her hand on his arm. "It meant a lot, honest. And the inscription was beautiful."

Draco smiled and kicked off the ground. Roxanne sped after him.

Later that day, Hermione saw Draco walking down the halls. She smiled at him as they passed. He smiled back.

She realized something was a bit off; she frowned and whipped back around. Draco had his sleeves rolled up; both of them.

She was still frowning when she met up with Roxanne.

"What's wrong?" The other girl asked at once.

"Malfoy's sleeves were rolled up."

Roxanne understood at once. "Really?"

"Yes. What did you say to him?"

Roxanne blushed. "I told him I loved every part of him, even the Mark."

Hermione felt herself melt inside. So Roxanne had found Draco's weakest point and made him proud of it. "I have to say, you are one amazing girl."

Roxanne grinned. "I am just brutally honest and it works to my advantage when I'm lucky."

"Did you mean it?" Hermione asked. "When you told him that?"

"Of course!" Roxanne exclaimed. "I would never say something that I didn't mean to Draco. I never lie to him."

"So you just confessed to him? Just like that? What did he say back?" Hermione's eyes were bright with excitement.

Roxanne's eyes widened. "Oh, no! I didn't mean it like that! I love Draco, but not like that."

Hermione's eyes narrowed. "So you'll lie to me but not to Draco?"

Roxanne blushed. "I don't know if I'm ready to admit to myself I love him like that, let alone to anyone else."

Hermione's eyes softened. "Roxanne, if you take too long to admit it, you might lose him. You should just be honest with yourself and have the courage to admit it to the person who truly matters."

Roxanne looked at her. She swallowed. "How do I admit something like that?"

Hermione raised an eyebrow. "Just be yourself and you'll be able to do it."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm absolutely sure."


	15. Harry Potter

Chapter 15: Harry Potter

Hermione ran up to Draco. Her face was pale and her eyes were dark with alarm.

"Granger? What's wrong?"

"It's Harry! He's coming here today."

"Shouldn't you be hopping up and down with excitement, not shaking with fear?" He looked at her in confusion.

"You haven't heard." She frowned. "Of course you haven't heard. The Aurors found Dolohov."

Draco still didn't understand. "So, why is Potter coming here?"

"He said something about working with Malfoy and Harry took it as you, but he must have meant your father, because you have nothing to do with the Death Eaters anymore, do you?"

"Of course not!" Draco cried. "So what is Potter going to do when he gets here?"

Hermione looked uncomfortable. "If he thinks _you're _still working with the Death Eaters, he'll most likely try to either attack you or arrest you."

Draco swore. "How can we convince him otherwise?"

"I don't know!" Hermione was pacing back and forth in front of him. "I'd say that Roxanne could say something but he doesn't know her."

A light bulb flickered in Draco's mind. "But he does! He met her before! But it was only briefly and she spoke French." Draco tapped the side of his cheek. "If we can get Roxanne to talk to Potter…"

"No." Hermione was already shaking her head. "We can't tell Roxanne about Dolohov or she'll go chase after him."

"Right." Draco rubbed his face. "Merlin, this is a mess."

"We should go somewhere more private to talk."

Draco shook his head. "No, Roxanne would suspect something at once. We'll just see how it goes. I'm sure between you, the little Weasley and Luna you can convince Potter. By the way, when is he supposed to get here?"

Hermione shrugged. "Sometime before dinner time. He was really angry by the sound of his floo message."

Draco sighed. "We might as well act like nothing out of the ordinary is happening. We should stick with Roxanne as much as possible; I have an idea that she won't be here much longer."

Hermione looked sad. "Do you think she'll let us go with her?"

"No. This is her fight. She won't allow any of us to get hurt because of it."

Hermione smiled a bit. "It's rather odd how much she reminds me of Harry. I think Harry would like her if they ever meet again."

Draco frowned. "How on earth is she like Potter?"

Hermione smiled. "Well, she's selfless and too brave for her own good, and her anger sometimes gets the better of her, and she's stubborn."

He laughed. "A lot of people are like that."

Hermione blushed. "I suppose. Now, should we go to breakfast? I'm sure she's already there."

Roxanne noticed Draco's mood as soon as he sat next to her. She looked at him with a little frown on her face. "What's wrong, Draco?"

He looked at her with wide, innocent eyes. "Nothing."

"Has anyone ever told you that you're a terrible liar?" She asked.

He frowned. "No."

Roxanne looked a bit hurt at his cropped tone. She turned to her plate and ate in silence for the rest of the meal. Astoria looked between the two of them awkwardly. Draco was clearly hiding something and Roxanne was hurt. Astoria put her hand on Roxanne's when she saw tears glistening in the girl's eyes.

Draco noticed this, and felt awful at once. He reached out towards Roxanne's hand.

She recoiled. "I thought we had gotten over this. I thought we weren't going to lie to each other." She stood up stiffly.

Draco looked over at Hermione who was watching with pity in her eyes. She shook her head ever so slightly. Draco swallowed and turned back to his plate. He jumped when the heavy oak door slammed behind Roxanne.

Roxanne stormed through the halls, both angry and depressed. What the hell was Draco hiding from her? And why; after all he had told her, she thought he'd be past the secret keeping stage. Roxanne screamed her frustration and knocked an expensive looking vase to the floor.

It made quite a satisfying noise as if shattered against the floor

Draco was pacing inside the Headmisstress's office about twenty minutes later. "She's going to go after Dohlov! As soon as she sees the Prophet, she'll be gone!"

The Headmistress nodded.

"Aren't you going to try to stop her?" Draco shouted. "She could be killed!"

"Draco, this is her battle to fight. Those two Death Eaters are her demons to face. Nothing I say will make her stop."

"She's going to get herself killed! She's still in school and Dohlov is a half-crazed Death Eater."

McGonagall raised her hand. "Roxanne is not nearly as inexperienced and defenseless as you may think, Draco. She is as strong as Harry, as brilliant as Hermione, and as clever as you are. She may take risks at school, but when it comes to serious situations, she is quite serious. She can take care of herself."

Draco ground his teeth together. "If she dies, I blame you entirely."

McGonagall felt pity for the boy. It was so obvious how much he cared for the girl but it tried to mask it by being cold and distant. She sighed. "I will take the blame, Draco. Now you should go, she'll most likely be leaving shortly."

Draco threw a final glare at the Headmistress before rushing out of her office.

He had intended on finding Roxanne and apologizing, but instead ran straight into a crowd of angry Gryffindors and one shouting Ravenclaw.

Roxanne heard the voices from a long way off. She recognized Draco's shouts at once and took off towards them. She grabbed a doorframe and swung into the room, her eyes quickly assessing the scene before her.

Draco was standing across the room from a young man with untidy jet black hair; Harry Potter. Potter's wand was drawn yet Draco's was not. Hermione's eyes were wide and she was white as a sheet; terror made her suddenly statuesque. Ginny looked torn between her fiancé and defending her surprising new friend. Luna looked… angry. Was that even possible? Apparently so, Luna's eyes were hard and she was shouting at Harry.

Harry was completely ignoring her. He was glaring at Draco with tangible hate.

The rest happened so quickly.

Harry lunged forward. His mouth opened and light concentrated at the tip of his wand.

Roxanne moved faster than him.

"No!" She shouted, throwing herself between Draco and Harry. Her arms were flung to each side; her wand was abandoned on the floor. She willingly took the unknown curse meant for Draco.

Blood seeped through her white shirt. She gasped and clutched at her chest. She nearly toppled forward but Draco caught her by her shoulders.

"Roxanne!" Hermione screamed.

She shoved Harry aside and ran to the Slytherins. Draco watched with horror as Roxanne lost more and more blood. Her words were running through his head _… you would die for them without wasting time on thought… _

Hermione was frantically trying to stop the bleeding. Harry looked on with confused and pain filled eyes as his rival and his best friend desperately tended to a girl he didn't know but who obviously meant more to them than almost anything.

"You bloody idiot!" Ginny finally shouted at him.

Harry gaped as even his fiancé rushed to Roxanne's side.

"Harry, if she dies, they will all hate you." Luna said in her odd angry voice from his side. "She is a very precious friend to everybody here." Luna's large blue eyes turned up towards him. "Do you know how to save her, Harry?"

In that peculiar way Luna had, she struck Harry straight in the heart. He walked forward and pushed his way to the French girl's side. He waved his wand over her chest, murmuring the counter spell. The blood that had left her body slowly returned and the cuts in her skin healed. Only the slashed shirt was remained.

Ginny's arm was around Draco's shoulders. She was whispering to him over and over: "She'll be alright. She will."

When it was done, Hermione hugged Harry tightly around the neck. Draco pushed Roxanne's hair from her face.

"Thank you, Potter." He said so softly that Harry barely heard him.

"Do not expect him to say it again, Potter." Roxanne's voice was weak.

Draco laughed. He hugged her to his chest tightly.

Harry was taken aback. In the mere span of six minutes, he had seen a girl willingly throw herself in front of an unknown curse to save Draco Malfoy.

He had seen Draco laugh, apologize, and look at someone with more love than most people ever dreamt of.

He had seen Hermione defend two Slytherins.

He had seen Ginny comfort Draco Malfoy.

He had seen Luna shout.

"So you aren't with him?" Harry asked. He watched as Draco scooped up the fragile looking girl.

"No, I'm not!" Draco snapped.

Roxanne's head lolled against Draco's shoulder. Her eyes were shut but her grip on Draco's neck was painful. She groaned slightly.

"It hurts." She whimpered.

"Where?" Draco asked, alarmed. "Roxanne, where does it hurt?"

"Everywhere."

"Fuck, Potter!" Draco glared at him. "I thought you were supposed to be intelligent! Or at least noble!"

Harry looked ashamed as Draco turned and walked off with the girl.

After a long tense moment of silence, Harry whispered. "I know her from somewhere."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Roxanne Garniar, the last of the French pureblood line. She's a half-blood and her parents were murdered by Bellatrix. She helped the Order enormously but she dealt with higher ups, not you."

"She threw herself in front of a curse… for _Malfoy._"

Hermione and Ginny were becoming impatient. "She's his best friend, Harry…"

Ginny shook her head. "Best friend doesn't even come close to describing their relationship."

"I know." Hermione said wistfully. "I just couldn't think of anything better."

"Soul mates." Luna said dreamily, no longer angry.

Harry frowned. "Why are you friends with them?"

Hermione raised one eyebrow. "Roxanne is charming and clever and an extraordinary friend, and she's friends with Draco. After getting to know him, we realized he changed. They're a package. Can't have one without the other."

Harry looked between the three girls. "You're completely serious." He still could barely believe this.

"Yes, Harry. We are." Ginny said firmly.

Draco walked back into the room then. "She's asleep." His voice was weary.

"Good." Hermione said. "So, we all agree not to tell her about Dolohov yet?"

They all nodded.

Herry frowned, seeing that he was entirely out of the loop. "Why wouldn't we tell her?"

Draco glared at him. "Dolohov and his little friend are the last surviving Death Eater who witnessed Roxanne's parent's deaths. Dolohov was the one to perform the Imperius, other than Bellatrix."

Harry was still confused.

Ginny sighed. "As soon as she finds out where he is, she'll chase after him and kill him. We want her to stay calm and stay _here _for as long as possible."

Harry frowned. "That's not fair. She has a right to know-."

Draco growled. "You will _not _tell her, Potter!"

Harry's green eyes shifted to Draco. He raised one of his brows. "Desperate to hold onto the only person who accepts you, Malfoy?"

Hermione grabbed Draco's shoulders as he lunged for Harry. "Oh, grow _up_!" She snapped. "This is about Roxanne, not your foolish childhood rivalry. Harry, we all got over it and it's your turn to do the same. Draco, do you want to hurt Roxanne?"

A muscle in Draco's jaw jumped but he rocked back on his heels, as if to get as far away from Harry as possible. Harry looked wounded as he saw that Hermione, Luna and even Ginny would support Roxanne, and therefore Draco, instead of him.

"I'll probably be one of the Aurors sent after Dolohov." He said. "If she follows him, we'll most likely see each other."

Ginny looked a bit worried. "If she kills him, will she get in trouble?"

Harry nodded. "Normally, yes." He hesitated. "I could get a word or two in and let her off the hook though. If Kingsley knows her and her story, he'll most likely be more forgiving. It would be murder if Dolohov wasn't… well, Dolohov."

Draco sighed in relief. "If you do see her, Potter, make sure she doesn't get herself killed." His voice was a bit gruff.

Luna smiled at him. "Don't worry, Draco, Roxanne's anger and magic is too strong to let Dolohov kill her. He may hurt her, but she won't be killed."

Draco flinched at that, an image of tortured, dream-Roxanne springing into his mind's eye. "I don't want her hurt! I want her unharmed and alive and _here_." He hated that his voice was desperate.

"We can talk to her once she finds out." Hermione said gently. "Maybe we can convince her to travel with the Aurors. The protection would be better. She can do that, right Harry?"

Harry nodded. "Yes, if she doesn't weigh us down then she can travel with us."

Draco shifted his weight. The idea that Roxanne may leave and never return made him anxious. He wanted to see her. He wanted to make sure she was still here.

"What about her wounds?" Luna asked suddenly. "How long will it take to recover from that curse?"

Draco answered as Harry opened his mouth. "I was asleep for two days, but with her healing she'll be fine within a few hours most likely."

"Her healing?" Harry was hopelessly lost with this conversation.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Old magic."

Harry still frowned. Draco smirked. "Never were too bright, were you Potter?"

"Watch it, Malfoy." The young Auror snapped. "I'll be the one protecting your pureblood girlfriend, don't give me a grudge."

Draco's eyes darkened. "First, she isn't a pureblood, she's a half-blood and second, she isn't my girlfriend. If she gets hurt because of your stupidity, I'll kill you."

Harry frowned. He was about to speak when Luna interrupted. "McGonagall is coming."

Sure enough, the Headmistress walked in at that moment.

Draco's jaw tensed. "I'm going to go check on Roxanne. I'll talk to you later, Hermione." He nodded to the girls, glared at Harry, and left.

Harry watched him go. "Well, he's changed a bit."

Ginny snorted. "Obviously."

Draco had brought Roxanne to a window seat in a disappearing alcove on the fifth floor. She was awake when he returned to her side. Her fingers trailed over the smooth glass of the window. Her eyes were foggy and distant. Draco tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Why did you do that?" He asked in a gentle voice.

She turned her bright eyes up to meet his curious gray ones. "I don't know. I didn't think about it, I just acted."

"You shouldn't have."

"I wouldn't have just watched you get hurt." She was quiet for a moment. "Draco, why did he attack you?"

He didn't answer.

"Why is Harry Potter here?"

Draco's jaw was still locked shut. Roxanne grabbed his chin, forcing him to look her in the face.

"Draco, what's going on?"

His eyes were sad and slightly desperate. He gently tore Roxanne's hand away from his face. His features were full of a pain that Roxanne couldn't understand. He stood up and turned away from her. Roxanne leapt to her feet to rush after him but her headspun and she flopped back into the cushions of the window seat. She clutched her head.

A stifled sob rose from her throat.

That sound echoed in Draco's head until he fell asleep that night. It haunted him in his fitful sleep, and it woke him before sunrise.


	16. The Prophet

Chapter 16: The Prophet

When Roxanne sat next to Draco at breakfast the next morning, he seemed a bit calmer.

Surprisingly, Hermione, Ginny, and Luna came to sit with them at the end of the Slytherin table. The other Slytherins at the table glared with disgust but didn't utter a word after seeing Roxanne and Draco's eyes flash with restrained anger. Astoria looked a bit nervous as she looked at the older Gryffindors and the dreamy looking Ravenclaw.

"How are you feeling?" Ginny asked, looking concerned.

"Completely fine, actually." Roxanne smiled tightly. "It was a pleasant surprise."

Ginny nodded. Her eyes travelled away from Roxanne, and up to the staff table. Roxanne looked over and saw Harry Potter speaking to McGonagall. When the Headmistress and the young Auror had finished their conversation, Harry strode towards the Slytherin table.

"Roxanne Garniar, I'm Harry Potter." He said, offering a hand.

Roxanne smiled a bit. "I know that." She didn't take his hand.

He looked a bit awkward for a moment, his hand hanging in the tense and empty air in front of him. He ran the same hand through his wild dark hair. "I wanted to apologize for yesterday."

"It's fine, _honnetement_." She flapped her hand.

"I could've killed you!" He protested.

She simply rolled her eyes. "I've faced death before. This was nothing new, though I wonder why you were attacking Draco in the first place." Her bright eyes slid from Harry's face to Draco's.

There she found the familiar tight jawed, emotionless expression of Draco Malfoy with his walls up. This was what they were all hiding from her; whatever had caused Potter to attack Draco was something they very obviously didn't want her to know.

Draco watched as Roxanne's jaw flexed. Then her features relaxed, she sighed, and her shoulders slumped a bit. She smiled weakly at Potter.

"Thank you for apologizing, but I never took offense to it in the first place. It was my choice to protect Draco and I would willingly do it over and over again."

Harry knew a dismissal when he saw one. He nodded before turning to Ginny. The redhead stood and said her farewells to the group. She left the Great Hall hand in hand with her fiance. Roxanne sighed again as she watched them go and turned back to the table.

At some point during the meal, her eyes locked with Draco's.

_Are you honestly alright?_

His eyes softened as he read the question in her eyes. The steely determination in his eyes answered. _I'm fine. _He was stubborn.

But then again, so was she. Her slightly betrayed eyes said, _I don't believe you. _

He glared. _I'm fine._

She raised an eyebrow. _Liar. _

Hermione looked between Roxanne and Draco as they seemed to have an entire conversation without uttering a word. She realized something as she saw Draco's shoulders slump and his eyes rolled as he turned away from the stubborn girl.

If Roxanne had come to Hogwarts just two years ago, Draco may not have become a Death Eater. He may not have let other Death Eaters into Hogwarts. Dumbledore may not be dead.

The entire time, all he needed was a friend. A true friend; like Hermione and Ron were to Harry. He was just lonely and he had no one to support him.

Hermione suddenly felt very bad for him, her heart ached a bit for the platinum haired young man sitting across from her, but then Roxanne flickered in the corner of her vision as she reached across Draco to grab an orange out of the bowl next to him.

It was obvious that neither of them knew of the other's feelings, but Hermione had faith that soon they would.

Draco stood halfway through breakfast. He nodded to the girls and left without a word.

Roxane's jaw tightened as she watched him leave.

"Go after him." Luna said after a few minutes.

Roxanne didn't need any more convincing than that. She leapt up from her seat and practically ran from the room after Draco.

Hermione sighed, thinking of Ron.

She and Luna slid back onto the Gryffindor bench, though they sat farther from the others so that they could talk without being overheard.

"he's sensitive." Luna said with compassion in her voice. "People bully him, too, and he feels lonely and hasn't got anybody to talk to, and he's afraid."

Hermione knew she was talking about Draco. "But now he has Roxanne."

"Yes." Luna said. "Roxanne is his redemption, his salvation, his life."

"Luna? What do you think will happen if she dies?"

Luna's large eyes were sad. "I doubt he'd survive losing her."

Hermione's eyes softened. "Suicide?"

Luna nodded. "I'd be surprised if he didn't, as awful as it sounds."

Hermione sighed. "Do you feel guilty about all the years we hated him?"

Luna shrugged. "I never hated him the way you, Harry, and Ron did. I found him intriguing; though I disliked him, I never hated him."

"I feel awful." Hermione muttered, looking into her lap.

Luna smiled serenley. "He has forgiven you. He's forgiven all of us because we forgave him first."

"When do you think they'll admit their feelings?"

Luna laughed merrily. "Very soon. You know, today is the last day of winter. My father thinks there won't be any more snow after today."

Hermione smiled. Luna's slightly odd nature always managed to calm her down.

Roxanne found Draco in the astronomy tower. He leaned against the metal railing, his face turned up to the sky. The snow swirled around him. Roxanne stood next to him. She reached out her hand and wound her fingers through his. She pulled it to her face, resting the back of his hand against her cheek.

"Draco, you're freezing."

He didn't respond. He didn't look at her. Roxanne sighed. She rested her forehead against his shoulder. She wrapped her other arm around him and rubbed his arm. He shut his eyes against the cold.

"Can you please come back in?"

"Why does it matter?" He said hoarsely.

She looked at him sharply. "Because I'm worried about you!"

"You shouldn't bother."

"I should!" She exclaimed. "You shouldn't do this to yourself. I don't know what happened but no matter what it was, it isn't worth beating yourself up!"

_If only you knew. _He thought sadly. "Why not? Don't I deserve it?"

Roxanne's face looked pained, but Draco didn't see that. She clutched his thin shirt. "Please, Draco! You might've made mistakes before but you're different now. You've changed! You aren't the same person!"

"Yes I am." He said miserably. "I'm still Draco Malfoy, the son of a Death Eater and a former Death Eater himself. I'm exactly the same."

Roxanne wedged herself between Draco and the railing. She grabbed his cold face between her hands, forcing him to look at her. She shook him slightly.

"Look at me, Draco! Look at me!" She made him obey. "You _are_ different. Would the Draco from before the war have let me in? Would he have even spoken to me after he found out I was a half-blood? Would he have befriended Hermione Granger? Would he have tolerated the likes of Ron Weasley and his sister?" She stroked his cheek. "Trust me, Draco Malfoy. You are different and you do not deserve this torture you are putting yourself through."

Something in her words must have struck him. He yanked Roxanne to his chest, bending down to bury his face in her hair. She smiled against his shoulder and hugged him.

"Why are you always here?"

She gathered all her courage to say those three puny words aloud. "I love you."

"You've said that before."

She stepped away from, shaking her head. "I meant it… in a more than friendly kind of way."

His eyes widened slightly. He was silent for a long and awkward moment.

Then he began to pace.

Roxanne watched Draco with one eyebrow raised. How had she never noticed this before? He was so… skittish. He clenched and unclenched his fists. Roxanne folded her arms across her chest to hide the shaking there.

She blurted out what she was thinking. "My apologies. Clearly it is not what you wanted. You do not care for me. I will go now." She gazed at her feet in shame as she turned. Tears made her eyes sting and she hated herself at once for her weakness.

Draco stumbled in his pacing. Her words barely registered in his mind. He watched her walk swiftly away, her hair flowing behind her. She raced down the spiral staircase.

Her words… She thought he didn't care for her?

"Son of a bitch." He hissed and ran after her, shouting. "Roxanne! Wait a minute!"

She stopped so abruptly that he nearly crashed into her. He grabbed her shoulders and turned her around. Tears slid down her cheeks.

"No. No, no, no." He said, wiping them away with his thumbs. "Don't cry."

Her eyes were fierce behind their tears. "Why would I not cry?" She snapped.

He looked at her with blunt honesty in his face. "Because you are more important in my life than you realize."

Her wide blue eyes blinked slowly. "W-what?"

It was all he could do to keep himself from laughing. He draped his arms over her shoulders, anchoring her in place. She seemed as if she'd dash away the first chance she got. She trembled.

"But you looked so scared." She said softly.

His gray eyes hardened. "I was _not _scared! I was only thinking about my family."

Her eyes pooled with tears again. "Must it always be about your family, Draco? What about what _you _want?" She untangled herself from his arms. She looked frail and vulnerable as her arms wrapped around her middle. She looked like she was in pain. "Are you honestly going to choose them again?"

She turned and walked away, leaving him with his depressing, lonely thoughts.

"He'll come around, just give him time. Just be strong, Roxanne."

Roxanne's eyes turned to ice before Hermione. The Griffindor flinched mentally as Roxanne exploded.

"No! I have been strong for him for too long! I have sacrificed everything I could for him! I was there for him _every _time! For once, I want this to be about me! Is it a crime to be selfish sometimes?"

"Please calm down, Roxanne." Hermione said softly. "He's been through so much."

"And I haven't?" The girl shouted. "We _all _have been through a lot! He was lucky! He had someone there for him! _No one _was there for me! _No one! _I am sick of being strong for other people!"

"Nobody asked you to be strong."

"It was expected! What good would it do to actually show my hurt?"

Something tugged at Hermione's mind. At this very moment, Roxanne was an exact mirror of Draco. The girl stepped forward to hug Roxanne.

"No! I do not want your pity!" The French girl's guards were up in an instant as she stepped back. "I want someone to understand!"

Hermione thought quietly for a moment. "I cannot pretend to understand you, Roxanne. Nothing that's happened to me is as awful as what's happened to you. If anyone can, and _does_, understand you, it's Draco."

Roxanne was silent. If Hermione didn't know her as well as she did, she wouldn't have known at once that she had said the wrong thing. Roxanne's fury exploded. As did every window, table, chair and chalkboard in the empty classroom they were standing in. Her magic billowed around her in visible white curtains.

Hermione was scared, not for herself but for Roxanne and especially Draco. She had _never _seen Roxanne this angry before. The cool and rational part of Hermione's mind wondered if maybe Roxanne's passion and love for Draco would keep her from seeking out Dolohov to avenge her parents.

"Leave." Roxanne said coldly, as she struggled to rein in her magic. "Please, Hermione." She pleaded when the Gryffindor didn't move.

Hermione looked at her sadly and nodded. She left, shutting the door gently behind her. She was halfway down the corridor when she heard a shockingly loud crash. The floor shook slightly under her feet.

She assumed that Roxanne had given up trying to restrain her magic.

Anger and frustration and sadness filled every inch of Roxanne. She let all the trapped feelings out through her magic. In a matter of minutes, the entire classroom was destroyed and unrecognizable.

Roxanne fell onto her knees in the mess, sobbing. She curled forward onto her knees, cradling her head and gasping for breath as the cries tore through her.

She was angry at Draco and Dolohov and Harry Potter and more importantly, herself.

She was ashamed for showing weakness to Draco and loosing her temper while in the prescence of someone she considered a very dear friend.

She cried for her mother and her father.

She cried for her own lonlieness and her unrequited love.

She cried for Draco, who had never known love and couldn't recognize it when it stood right in front of him.

She cried for Ginny and Harry, and Hermione and Ron, who knew love and held it in their hands when she couldn't even fall in love with someone who would return her feelings.

She cried for her parents again, whose love destroyed them.

In the end, it was Luna who found her. The blonde stepped into the mess that was the ruined classroom and sat beside Roxanne, who was lying on her side in the dust and crying silently. Luna's hand stroked the French girl's hair gently.

Half delirious with her own emotions, Roxanne only recognized the touch of someone maternal. She pressed herself closer to the warmth she found besides her, curling against Luna, resting her head in the Ravenclaw's lap.

"They're all looking for you." She said softly.

Roxanne sniffed. Her tears had stopped flowing a minute ago. "I don't exactly want to talk to anyone."

Luna was quiet for a moment, twisting strands of Roxanne's sleek hair around her finger. "It isn't about what you think. It's something… beyond Hogwarts."

Roxanne sat up. "It isn't about Draco? Or what I said to Hermione?"

Luna's eyes were huge and sad and full of tears. She snook her head. "No."

"I love him." Roxanne whispered. "So much that it hurts."

"I know." Luna hesitated, picking her words carefully. "I think that Draco's feelings for you are stronger than he understands."

"It doesn't matter if he doesn't understand."

"Come on, let's go find Hermione. They need to tell you something." Luna helped the smaller girl to her feet.

Roxanne knew at once that she would finally find out what they had been hiding from her.

Draco, Luna, and Hermione watched Roxanne carefully as she picked up that day's Prophet.

At first, her fingers clenched tightly around the paper and her eyes shone fiercely. And then she paled and began to tremble. Suddenly, fire sparked in her palms and the paper burst into flames. Draco leapt up to snatch it from her hands and throw it to the ground.

"What's the matter with you?" She yelled. "You didn't tell me! How long has it been since you to have known?"

Draco and Hermione looked away, ashamed.

Roxanne was shaking. Her eyes shifted to Luna, who was watching her. "I trusted you more than the others. I thought you'd be the last to hold something like this from me. After all I told you…" She suddenly stood. "I have to go."

"No, Roxanne." Draco stood up and tried to grab her arm.

"No!" She shouted. "_You_ of all people will _not _tell me what I can and cannot do!"

Luna stood and left, unnoticed.

"Roxanne, if you go after him, you could be expelled or killed!" Hermione said.

"You think I care about that? He killed my parents! _In front of me_." Roxanne's voice broke. "You want me to just let him go? He was spotted in _London _for Merlin's sake."

Draco and Hermione fell silent.

"_Non._" Roxanne shook her head. "You and Harry Potter ran off to chase after horcruxes and _you _weren't expelled."

"That was different. If we hadn't done that, Voldemort would have won."

"And if I don't kill Dolohov, he may end up killing me and anyone I am involved in. He will not let me live once he discovers I am alive." Roxanne swallowed.

"Let the Aurors find him." Hermione urged softly.

Roxanne's eyes flashed. "No. Don't I have a right to avenge my parents? Besides, I am the last Garniar, I will not be a coward and sit back and wait for the authorities to deal with him."

"You're a seventh year, Roxanne. You can't stop a Death Eater."

Roxanne glared at Draco. "I've already killed three. I can manage to kill two more."

"The ones you killed weren't like Dolohov." Draco pushed.

"Leave it alone, Draco!" She shouted at him.

Draco was momentarily shocked. He tried to remember a time she had shouted at him out of anger and didn't find one.

He plowed on. "I knew him, Roxanne! I've seen him torture and kill and maim! Do you want me to let you chase after him and live with myself if he does any of that to you when I could have stopped you?"

Hermione was watching Roxanne carefully as he spoke. "But you can't."

"What was that, Granger?" Draco asked tightly.

"You can't stop her. She'll go no matter what you do. Nothing you say, nothing you show her, nothing you do will stop her from chasing after him."

Roxanne and Hermione stared at each other. Hermione knew that she was right. Draco glared between them.

"I'll show you everything he's done. Every person he's destroyed." Draco gripped her forearm.

She yanked back against his grip. "No, Draco. I already know."

He frowned.

She answered his unspoken question. "I looked into his mind, broke down his walls, when he was in my home. I saw everything as if I was doing it all myself."

Hermione felt sick. "Everything?"

Roxanne's eyes were full of pity. "Everything, Hermione."

Hermione swallowed. She left the room without another word.

Roxanne looked at Draco. "I saw you there as well."

He nodded. "I know that." His voice was tight. He too left the room.

Roxanne ran after him. He was on the other end of the hall. "Why does it even matter to you?" She shouted, surprising him. "You'd choose your family over me, so why does it matter if I die?"

Her voice was so full of pain and despair, Draco felt like crying. Desperate to hide the tears he was about to shed, he turned and ran from her.

Roxanne sobbed in anger and frustration. Hot tears raced down her face.

Roxanne threw up her hands, nearly screaming with her emotions. "_Merde anglais. Toujours si facheusement mysterieux._" **"Damn English. They're always so annoyingly mysterious."**

She walked down the hall and stormed angrily to her dormitory.

Everyone in the common room looked at her as she walked in. Everyone either had a copy of the Prophet in their hand or they were crowding around someone who did. Roxanne glared at them.

"Roxanne." Astoria was the one who spoke to her. "Have you seen this?" She pointed at Dolohov's picture on the front page.

"Yes." She said. "What of it?"

"Well, he's one of the last Death Eaters. Thought you'd be interested, seeing as your family…"

Roxanne swallowed hard, containing herself. "Makes no difference to me. I'm a student, what good could I do? The Aurors will do their job." She fought hard to keep the bitterness out of her voice.

She walked to her room, ignoring the silence she left behind. She began to pack a few of her things.

Roxanne didn't show up at any classes that day. Hermione and Draco would have worried if McGonagall hand't assured them that she hadn't left the grounds. Astoria reported that Roxanne's leather bag, some of her belongings, and her broom was missing and the girl was no where in the Slytherins dorms or common room.

"Would she leave without saying goodbye?" Hermione was anxious.

Draco only shrugged, he was still being haunted by Roxanne's pain.

Ginny chewed her fork wordlessly for a moment. "You know, we never asked about her friends in France. Did she leave them without saying a word? Does she even talk to them anymore?"

Luna sighed. "I asked. She had friends there, but they all grew apart after Voldemort came back. She grew up faster than them and they didn't understand the stress she and her family were going through. She hasn't spoken to them in a couple of years."

"We didn't grow apart, did we?" Hermione asked.

Draco shook his head. "No, we couldn't have." He said it mainly to reassure himself that he would see Roxanne again.

"Go to the Astronomy Tower at sunset, Malfoy." Hermione said. "She'd be there if anywhere."

"Why me?"

Hermione glared at him. "You saw that classroom. If she dies without you making things better between you…" She trailed off when she saw Draco flinch.

"It's nearly sunset now." Ginny observed. "Go."

Images of Roxanne's dead corpse in his mind's eye drove him to stand and rush from the room.

Draco found her at the top of the Astronomy tower. She was staring at the horizon. Draco remained in the shadows, hesitant to speak to her after her anger at him the last time.

He was standing just so that he could see her entire face in the light of the setting sun. Her eyes blazed fiercely. Her jaw was taut and her lips tugged down slightly at the corners.

He admired her for her strengths. He admired her for her passion. But more importantly, he loved her for her flaws.

Together they watched as the light slowly left the sky, pushed back by the bleeding darkness of the night.

The wind shifted, blowing towards him. He breathed in the scent of her, memorizing it in case this was the last time he ever saw her. The perfume she wore would be burned into his head; the scent of lilacs and vanilla.

The darkness cast shadows across her features, making her suddenly look dangerous and deadly. Her eyes were like ice and her features were set strongly.

He looked at the rest of her for the first time since he walked up here. Her hair was pulled into a high ponytail and she wore Muggle jeans, sturdy boots and a black long sleeved shirt. The broom he had given to her leaned against the railing next to her. She had her leather bag over her shoulders.

He watched as she pulled a chain from under her shirt; the oval locket he had given to her. She opened it, kissing the pictures twice before snapping it shut again. She rested the cool metal against her mouth; her eyes fell closed briefly before she tucked the locked under her shirt again.

Her hand curled around the dark wood of the broom.

_You're leaving now?_ He wanted to cry out, but he couldn't find his voice.

"I will miss you." The sound of her rough and broken voice startled him. Did she know he was here? It didn't appear so, she kept talking. "I will come back, I promise."

_Please don't go. Stay with me!_

She swung a leg over the broom, settling on it smoothly.

_I'll miss you._

She kicked up. The broom rose up.

_I love you._

It shot forward, carrying her forward. She appeared as a black smudge in the sky as she rose above the castle.

With her, went a large part of Draco. He ran forward, ready to shout after her but she was too far away already.

He gripped the railing with a white-knuckled grasp. His chest hurt and he had to fight the strong urge to get his own broom and chase after her.

_I will wait for you forever._


	17. Days, Weeks, Months

Chapter 17: Days, Weeks, Months

_Day Three_

McGonagall interrupted the afternoon potions lesson to hand a violet envelope to Hermione. It was addressed simply to: Hermione G.

Hermione ignored the professor as he continued to lecture. She tore the letter open and quickly scanned Harry's familiar scrawl before rereading it.

_HG-_

_Six of us Aurors have met up with RG. On Dolohov's trail. Roxanne's doing well. She's clever and strong… She has, however, been flinching at shadows and attacking trees late into the night. Will update you if anything worth writing about happens._

_HP_

Draco read the note over and over. _Doing well… flinching at shadows… _He sighed and rubbed his eyes. The past three days had been awful for him and he didn't expect the passing time to get any easier.

"She's alright." Ginny sighed in relief as she read over Draco's shoulder.

"If you call hunting a crazed Death Eater and going half insane because of it alright, then yes." Hermione said dryly. "She doesn't sound very good to me."

Luna looked a bit sad. "It's how she gets. I've seen some of her memories from when she was working for the Order. When she's on a trail or angry, she becomes… different. Sharper and fiercer."

A small flicker of curious amusement crossed Draco's features. "I'd like to see her like that."

"What did she say when she left?"

Draco avoided Hermione's eyes. "I didn't talk to her."

Ginny's fork clattered onto the plate. "What?" She half shouted. "Please, tell me you're joking, Malfoy!"

"I watched her leave but I couldn't bring myself to actually… talk to her."

"You're a fucking idiot."

Draco stared in shock at Hermione. She wasn't one to swear. He scowled. "I know I'm an idiot."

"Draco, what if she-?" Luna began.

"Don't say it!" Draco yelled. "She _won't _die!"

All three of the girls looked at him with pity as he left their table in the Great Hall.

* * *

><p><em>Week One<em>

Hermione flipped through her copy of _Hogwarts, A History _without reading a word of it. She frowned when a slip of paper she didn't recognize fell onto her bed. She picked it up gingerly, recognizing the swirling handwriting at once.

_Hermione-_

_You were one of the only people I ever met to have seen me for myself; not for my family, my blood, or my history. For that, I will __always__ be your loyal friend. I cannot think of a way to repay all that you have done for me. _

_I am sorry I left without saying goodbye, I find that I am not so very good at them._

…_If I die, please take care of Draco for me. He needs a friend and despite his stubbornness, he does consider you a friend. I don't understand what I mean to Draco, but I doubt I'm irreplaceable. _

_-Roxanne_

Hermione felt tears prick her eyes. "You stupid, stupid girl." She whispered as the tears slid down her face.

Ginny's note fell out of her Divination book when she flung it across her room in frustration. She noticed the circular note fluttering in the air. She snatched it at once, reading the dark blue writing.

_Ginny-_

_You are by far the strongest woman I have ever met. Between that and the love you share with Harry, you're one damned lucky girl. I hope that one day, you'll be able to teach me the rules of Quidditch. If Draco ever seems down, or if I don't return, please encourage (or force) him to play. Before the war, that game was the only time he felt worthy of his name and it was the only time he felt truly happy. _

_I hope I see you again sometime soon._

_-Roxanne_

Luna knew that Roxanne had left her a note somewhere. She also knew that she would find it when the time was right and she didn't have to waste her time looking for it. She found the small paper folded inside the lens of her Spectra Glasses.

_My dear Luna- _

_I know that of all my friends in Hogwarts, you will be the one to understand why I left the way I did. I'm sorry I yelled at you about not telling me about Dolohov… I mean, I am angry but I do forgive you. I am more grateful than anything to have someone like you in my life. You understand me better than I understand myself at times. Thank you for being there when no one else was. Because of you, I had the strength to help and fall in love with Draco. I will eternally be thankful for that. _

_If I die, take care of him for me. Don't let him give up on himself again._

_-Roxanne_

Draco picked up the slip of paper that fluttered out of the book. He recognized the swirling script at once.

_Draco - _

_I may not be the witch your parents wanted for you, but am I the witch __you__ want? After all, it's your life and you deserve the one you truly want. _

_I'm so sorry I left without saying goodbye. I was stubborn and so were you, but it was my fault that I wasn't strong enough to face my fear of rejection. I understand the loyalty you feel towards your family; I once felt the same thing._

_Mais si je ne retourne pas, sachez que je n'arreterai jamais de t'aimer._

_-Roxanne_

From the back of the room, a small thud was heard as Draco's forehead collided with his desk.

_Fuck._

Later that night, Draco lay in his bed, holding the note above his head. He ran his fingers over the dark blue ink of Roxanne's name. A single tear ran from the corner of his eye and into his hairline.

* * *

><p><em>Week Three<em>

Draco was meandering miserably through the corridors when he was supposed to be in Transfiguration class. He had one hand curled around Roxanne's note in his pocket. He was slowly translating the last line of the note through French lessons with Luna.

He suddenly caught sight of a familiar head of messy hair. All blood drained from Draco's already ghostly pale face. He strode forward, grabbing a handful of robes and slamming the shorter man against the wall.

"Potter! What the hell are you doing here?" Draco shook the boy slightly. "Where's Roxanne?"

Harry was more disheveled than usual and he was dirty and cut. He looked exhausted. "Malfoy, please calm down so I can explain without getting a concussion."

"Where is she?" Draco yelled.

"Not here, Malfoy." Harry's face didn't look so good. "She left three days ago and left a fake trail."

"A fake trail? You're a bloody Auror! You killed _Voldemort _but you couldn't properly track a seventeen year old girl?" Malfoy's cheeks were flushing with anger.

Harry sighed. "I'm sorry, Malfoy. I honestly am, but she lost patience with our policies and regulations. She left when we were asleep and knocked out the watch guard."

Draco slammed his fist into the wall, releasing Harry. "Where was the last place you saw her?"

"Romania. We had just left Charlie's. We were following Dolohov into Russia."

Draco sighed, feeling more miserable than he had in days. "What about Dolohov's tag-along?"

Harry snorted a laugh. "Roxanne killed him in Austria. She was quite impressive. I actually recommended training to be an Auror and she yelled at me and threatened to hex me in a way that would thoroughly disappoint Ginny."

For the first time in nearly a month, Draco laughed aloud as he pictured Roxanne threatening the Boy-Who-Wouldn't-Bloody-Die.

He immedeatley fell serious again. "Are you going to track her? You have to!"

Harry looked away. "I'm not allowed to. I'm sorry, Malfoy, but I've been assigned to another case."

"Who's on the case now?" Draco yelled.

"No one. The case is no longer in the Auror's hands."

Draco's voice dropped. "What are you talking about, Potter?"

"The Minister seems to think that Roxanne will be able to handle the job and if she can't, he'll reopen the case."

"If she can't _handle _it? What the hell does that mean?"

Harry looked at his feet. "If she dies, or has to stop her hunting because of an injury."

"What did you do to protect her?"

"I… I wasn't allowed to have anything to do with the case… due to personal bias."

Draco stared at him with dangerous eyes. "How hard did you try?"

Harry didn't answer.

Anger boiled up in Draco. He pulled back his arm and slugged Harry straight in the jaw.

"You said you'd protect her!" Draco yelled.

"I tried but she refused it!" Harry yelled back.

"You should've tried harder!" Draco's face was red with anger. "You only protect those you know but one person asks you to help another and you half-ass the job!"

"She's a stubborn idiot who doesn't know what's good for her!"

"She is avenging her parents! You would do exactly the same thing in her position!"

"She's selfish and manipulative! She only cares about what's good for her!"

Draco slammed Harry against the wall. "Don't you _dare_ talk about her like that! The entire time she's been here, she's cared only about others!"

"Oh, she only ran off to kill a Death Eater when any Auror could have done it!"

"_You _couldn't! The oh-so-amazing Harry Potter couldn't tell a fake trail from the real thing!"

Harry snarled and lunged forward. He and Draco wrestled on the ground, pounding at the other one. Harry caught an eye and a jaw. Draco caught a nose, another eye and the back of the head.

"She was a fool to fall in love with a bastard like you!" Harry growled. "Even a snobby half-blood like her deserves something better."

"You have no idea what she went through! She's less of a snob than you!"

"And you're an idiot to let her go!"

"I let her do what she thought was right! She would never forgive me if I forced her to stay!"

"Maybe if you had held her back, she won't get killed."

Draco's fist slammed into Harry's other eye. "Oh, like you held back Hermione and Ginny? Hermione was more brave than you and Ginny showed more skill than you!"

"She is a sheltered witch! She can't win!"

"Roxanne has been exposed to just as much, if not more than you." A cold voice, followed by a cold blast of magic pulled the boys apart.

Hermione stood above them. "You'd think you were both first years again! Honestly, you're _men_!"

Draco flushed with anger. "He insulted Roxanne! And he let her chase Dolohov alone!"

Hermione's mouth tightened into a line as she turned her eyes to a bleeding Harry. "Is this true?"

"There were rules and regulations! I couldn't-!"

"You could!" Hermione yelled. "You're _Harry Potter, _for Merlin's sake!" She reached down a hand to help Draco to his feet before pulling Harry roughly up.

The air between the three of them was tense.

"Where was she last seen?" Hermione asked in a level voice.

"Near Charlie's. About three days ago."

"We have to go after her!" Draco burst out.

"No." Hermione and Harry said at the same time.

"Why not?"

Hermione frowned. "Look, Draco. Roxanne wanted to do this on her own. She'd rather fail on her own than succeed while depending on someone else. You know her better than I do; you should know that help is the last thing she'd want."

"It isn't help." He said, surprisingly patient. "I don't want her to die. She can do all the killing and tracking and hunting on her own, but she needs protection."

"And would you be able to stand aside when she fights Dolohov alone?" Hermione asked quietly. "Would you be able to watch her get hurt, or possibly killed, without interfering?"

Draco clenched his jaw. "Have I ever mentioned I hate it when you're right?"

"No, I don't think you have." Hermione smiled slightly. "Now, we're going to wait patiently for Roxanne to come back to us."

"A lot easier said than done."

She put a hand on his shoulder. "I know, but we have to try. For Roxanne."

Harry watched this silently, nursing his split lip. He found the entire exchange fascinating. He had seen the changed Draco Malfoy while in the presence of Roxanne Garniar.

Now he was seeing the Draco Malfoy who had lost his hope.

* * *

><p><em>Month Three<em>

"Malfoy."

"Malfoy!"

"_Draco!_" This time, a sharp hit accompanied his name.

He looked up from his book slowly. Ginny was standing in front of him, flanked by two Gryffindor boys he vaguely recognized.

"What do you want, Weasley?" He asked in a voice that normally would have been sarcastic and teasing, but in his misery was flat and pathetic.

Ginny looked at him sadly. "In the note Roxanne left me, she told me to offer you something if you were feeling… bad."

"I don't want to do anything."

"I know." She hesitated awkwardly.

"Come on, mate." One of the other boys said in a heavy accent. "We're going to play a little one-on-one, we need another player."

"You want _me _to play Quidditch with _you_?" Draco asked slowly.

The tall, dark skinned boy next to the one with the accent grinned. "You're right, Gin, he isn't dull at all."

Draco remembered their names all of a sudden. Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas. He scowled. "No. I won't play a game when she's still gone. I won't act like everything's okay."

Ginny's voice was gentle. "I don't mean for you to do that, but we all need some distraction."

Draco's jaw tightened.

"What would Roxanne want? You knew her best."

Roxanne face filled Draco's mind. Her large eyes were bright and laughing. Her mouth was turned up at the corners. Her laugh echoed in his head.

Draco stood.

Ginny grinned. "Alright then, mate. Me and Seamus against you and Dean."

* * *

><p><em>Month Four <em>

Draco walked down from the astronomy tower. It was just after sunrise. His thoughts, as usual, were filled of Roxanne.

He wondered where she was. He wondered what she was doing. He wondered if she still watched the sun rise and set. He wondered what she was thinking about.

He wished he could see her. He wished he could hear her voice.

He was walking down a staircase between the fourth and fifth floors when it happened.

Fear and nausea suddenly washed over Draco. He grabbed the railing as his knees buckled. He barely felt the pain as his knees cracked against the marble.

The tightening in his chest became unbearable.

His vision swam. Spots of black and flashes of light made him dizzy. His breath came out in short breaths and his heart thudded swiftly in his chest. He felt sweat bead along his hairline.

A scream suddenly filled his head.

_Roxanne! _

He knew at once that something was wrong with her. He didn't know how he knew but Roxanne was in trouble.

"Mr. Malfoy, why do you think that Roxanne had anything to do with this?" McGonagall looked at the pale haired man in front of him.

Draco had somehow managed to get to the Headmistress' office. His chest was aching dully. There was a pounding in his head.

"I don't know! I can't explain it, but I heard her scream and I felt pain." He was distressed.

"Draco, I assure you that even if your episode and Miss Garniar are connected, we can't do anything about it." It pained the Headmistress to say it.

Draco's voice was strangled. "She could _die!_"

"She may already be dead."

Draco paled. "You can't honestly think that."

"Mr. Malfoy. You should go. Wherever Roxanne is, we can't help her. She's beyond our reach."

Draco stood up so quickly that the chair he sat on crashed to the floor. He left the room, feeling worse than ever.

* * *

><p><em>Month Four, Week Two<em>

Four months had gone by none too quickly for those stuck at Hogwarts waiting for Roxanne to return. Exams came and went. Graduation was fast approaching.

Draco, Hermione, Ginny, Luna, and Astoria were sitting at dinner, quiet as usual.

Draco's thoughts were on Roxanne as usual;.

Hermione was worrying about the girl and thinking about how she might be able to help.

Ginny was worrying about Hermione's stress levels.

Astoria was distracted by Draco's lack of personality.

Luna was wondering when Draco would admit aloud that he loved Roxanne.

McGonagall watched the five of them with concern. She still had hope that Roxanne was alive, but the possibility of it was slim. She could have been dead for months and there would be no way of knowing.

The Headmistress was still worried about the events of the last week. Draco had been thoroughly alarmed.

McGonagall thought about Roxanne's healing magic. She had heard about an Old Magic that connected people who shared an extremely close bond. The last time anyone had possessed that magic was nearly a century ago. A wizard by the name of Pollux Black.

Black.

A Black married a Malfoy.

Draco Malfoy loved Roxanne Garniar, and heard her scream in his head.


	18. Return

Chapter 18: Return

Suddenly, one of the large doors of the Great Hall swung open with a groan. It slammed against the wall behind it.

A bloody, dirty and exhausted person walked in. A half burnt broom was slung over one shoulder. Long hair was swept away from a scratched face.

Draco looked up at the silence that fell over the hall. His fork clattered against his plate. He was on his feet in a moment and running towards the person.

His arms swept her up, lifting her feet off the ground. "Roxanne!"

The broom fell onto the floor, clattering as it struck the stone.

Tears cleaned tracks through the dirt on her face as she hugged him back. "Draco!"

He spun her around, hugging her as if he'd lose her at any moment.

"I thought you were dead." He gasped against her hair.

"I'm fine." She said, her voice was rough and exhausted.

She smelled like sweat and blood, not the lilac and vanilla he remembered.

He set her back on the floor to look at her face. There were scratches on her cheeks and a couple of scars that curved under her jawbone. She was dirty and her hair mussed up.

She was still the most beautiful thing he had ever seen before.

Her blue eyes locked with his gray ones. His grip on her forearms was strong, as if he didn't believe she was actually there in front of him.

"_Il est mort et je suis libre._" **"He is dead and I am free."**

Hermione was suddenly shoving Draco aside to throw herself at Roxanne. "I'm so glad you're alright!"

Ginny and Astoria were there to hug her as well. Luna hung back with a dreamy smile on her face.

Roxanne turned to her. "Any words of wisdom, Luna?"

"Your parents would have been proud. The great Dohlov taken down by the last Garniar." McGonagall interrupted them. She had walked from the staff table to

Roxanne's jaw flexed. "I did what I had to. If he knew I was alive, he would have hunted me until the day either of us died. He would threaten my loved ones and my entire life." Her eyes darted swiftly to Draco and then away.

"How long has it been since you've eaten?" Hermione asked with concern on her face. "You look thinner."

Draco had noticed this as well. Her hips were noticeable between the hem of her shirt and the waistband of her jeans. Her collarbones were even more fragile looking than before.

Roxanne looked away. "Four days, I think. The days kind of blended together."

Draco grabbed her arm and pulled her to the table, pushing his barely touched plate to her. "Eat." He didn't say another word.

Roxanne looked around nervously. "Why is everyone looking at me?"

Draco's head snapped up. He tore his gaze off her face to glare around. Everyone hurriedly looked away. Roxanne stared at the food.

"Do you want something else? You don't like potatoes, I'm sorry. I forgot!"

"No." She grabbed his hand as he reached for the plate. "I just haven't had real food in four months." She reached towards the food with her hand. Then she muttered under her breath. "_Non, stupide fille._" **"No, stupid girl."** She took the fork Draco offered her.

Draco watched her carefully, and then he frowned. "What's wrong?"

She looked at him, startled. "I… nothing. Nothing's wrong."

He didn't push her any further, but he wasn't fooled. She was twisting her ring around her grubby finger and her eyes were distant.

Hermione sat across from them, watching Roxanne carefully. She felt light; Roxanne was home. Roxanne was safe.

The girl's dirty face was glowing and her eyes flit around the room, never alighting on one thing for long. She reminded Hermione of a lively songbird. She sat close to Draco, her shoulder always touching his and her hip brushing his side.

They needed each other more than anything. It was obvious that no one could stand in the other's place; the bond that ran deeper than friendship tied them tightly together.

Somehow, Hermione and Ginny managed to keep everybody from jumping on Roxanne for the rest of the meal, but as soon as they left, Blaise Zabini slid into the seat next to Roxanne.

"Well, Garniar. How'd a do-gooder like you destroy the big bad wolf, Dolhov?"

Draco snarled and reached for his wand, but Roxanne was faster.

The hand that wasn't busy forking food into her mouth flashed out and grabbed Zabini around the neck. Her small fingers pressed into his windpipe. She finished the bite of meat she had in her mouth before She stood, forcing him back.

"You want to know how I did it?" She hissed. "Do you really, Zabini?"

He didn't answer her. His face paled under his olive complexion.

"I will tell you how I did it. I chased him across the English Channel, through Europe and across Russia. I trapped him in a cave in Siberia. I didn't let him leave for days. I didn't let his apparate or conjure or summon anything. In fact, I didn't let him use any magic. I starved him for five days. Finally, when I let him out, he was too weak to _walk_. He crawled on his hands and knees and I made him _beg _for his life. He begged. He sobbed. He groveled. But then, he made a comment about my mother. "_I'm sorry I had to kill your father, but I will never regret killing your mudblood whore of a mother._"

"And then, I killed him with my bare hands, just like this in fact. I killed him in the most degrading and disrespectful way I could think of. I killed him as if he was a Muggle. He wasn't worth my magic."

Blaise was gasping for breath. It was Draco who tore her hand away from his throat.

"Roxanne, stop it. He isn't worth it."

Roxanne glared at Zabini. "I think it's funny how you think purebloods are superior. To everyone who actually matters in this world, people like you are dirt under our feet."

Draco wrapped his arm around her shoulders and tugged him away from a trembling Zabini. He noticed then how Roxanne had changed. She wasn't as controlled. Four months hunting the man she hated had made her high strung and impulsive.

Roxanne was tense under his arm as he led her to the prefect's bathroom. "Go and clean up. You look awful."

"You really know how to compliment a girl, Draco." She laughed slightly.

"I'm just being honest. Go on then, love. Take a bath." He shoved her lightly towards the door.

At once, his head swam. Roxanne stumbled into the wall. Draco grabbed her as she fell into a faint.

"Bloody hell, Roxanne." He growled under his breath.

He carried her all the way to the infirmary.

"Madame Pomfrey! Something's wrong!"

"I was starting to wonder when Miss Garniar would be paying me a visit." The older witch beckoned Draco over, who placed Roxanne on the bed.

"She fainted! I dunno why!"

The witch did a few checks on the girl. "She's malnourished and exhausted, but there doesn't seem to be anything seriously wrong with her." She was still frowning. "Can you fetch Hermione and Ginny for me?"

"We're already here."

Draco was pushed aside by the two witches.

"Come on, we've got to get these clothes off of her. They're disgusting."

The witches pulled the curtain around the bed. Draco paced anxiously.

Hermione brought Roxanne out of her unconscious state. The French girl gasped in breath and sat up.

"What happened?"

"You fainted. We have to get you out of those clothes."

Roxanne swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood on shaky legs.

"Here." Madame Pomfrey handed the girl a vial of potions. "This will give you back your strength."

Roxanne tipped back the vial and swallowed it.

She didn't protest when Madame Pomfrey peeled off her bloody and stiff shirt. Roxanne shivered in the breezy air of the infirmary. She heard the older witch, Hermione and Ginny gasp.

A horrible scar stretched across her torso. It began just under her left breast and tore jaggedly down her ribs and across her stomach to her opposite hip. It varied in width, though most of it was about as wide as three fingers across.

"I may be able to get rid of it. It'll be difficult but I should be able to-."

"No!" Roxanne cried, her hands going to the scar. "No." She repeated softly. "I want to keep it." _I need to keep it. _

The old witch frowned. "Why on earth would you want to keep it?"

Roxanne wrapped her arms around herself. "I have no physical scar of my parents' death. I want something to remind me that they're avenged. I need something to remind me, in case I ever forget."

Before any of them could say anything more, Draco tore the curtain aside. Roxanne whirled around so that her back was to him.

"What's wrong? What happened?"

"Malfoy!" Ginny yelled. "Get out!"

"Tell me what's happening!" He yelled back.

"For the love of God!" Roxanne turned around, her arms crossed over her chest. "Nothing is wrong!"

Draco didn't seem to notice she was standing in front of him in only a bra and jeans. His eyes went straight to the scar that was barely hidden under her skinny arms.

"What the bloody hell is that?" He demanded.

"Draco, it's nothing."

He shoved Hermione and Ginny aside and strode to Roxanne. Pomfrey dragged Hermione and Ginny out of the enclosed area, leaving Roxanne and Draco alone.

He grabbed her arms and pinned them to her side. He looked at the scar and snarled.

"What curse was it? What curse did he use?"

"I don't know. It doesn't matter, Draco. He's dead now."

Draco spoke through clenched teeth. "It happened last week, didn't it? Just after sunrise."

Roxanne looked generally shocked. "How do you know that?"

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Draco, I _just _got back!"

"You should have told me." He said coldly.

He left her standing there with tears running down her cheeks. Hermione walked back in. She wasn't expecting Roxanne to suddenly conjure a vase.

"Roxanne, what are you doing?"

Roxanne grabbed the vase and flung it against the ground. She screamed in frustration.

"I just got here!" She shouted. "I've been here for less than a day and he treats me like total _shit_!"

"Roxanne, he was scared! For months he didn't know if you were dead or alive."

"But I'm back now!"

"He obviously knows that! He doesn't want to lose you and you scared him!"

Roxanne's tears still didn't stop. "Why does he have to be like this?"

"Because he's Draco." Hermione said sadly.


	19. Peace

Chapter 19: Peace

Hermione sat across from Roxanne at the Slytherin table late that night. The Great Hall was empty save for the two of them. Roxanne had her chin on her folded arms and her eyes were shut. Hermione didn't miss the tears that escaped her lashes and fell onto her skin.

"Roxanne, why did you really come to Hogwarts?"

Roxanne's tired blue eyes opened slowly. She looked at Hermione's face. Her eyes fell shut again. "I came here to find peace. Or rather, let peace find me."

"Why did you think you'd get that here?"

"A seer told me. It sounds foolish, I know. I will never forget her words. _Peace will find you at the school across the water in the form of tainted white._"

Hermione was quiet for a moment.

"How was I so desperate to actually believe that?" Roxanne's tears fell faster and harder.

"Maybe you will. Maybe peace is something you have to fight for."

"I don't have any fight left in me. I fought for Draco. I fought for you. I fought for my parents. I'm all fought out."

Hermione's hand wrapped firmly around Roxanne's. "I've learned that there are many things in this world worth dying for, but there are only a few things in life that make you want to fight to live for them."

"Are you saying there's something like that for everybody? I don't think I have anything worth living for." Roxanne's tears kept falling.

"Draco."

Roxanne frowned. "He would leave me in a moment."

Hermione's hand slid away from Roxanne's. She was silent.

Roxanne opened one eye. Hermione's face was turned away from her, a look of shock on her face. Her mouth formed a little "o". Roxanne followed her gaze. She swore at once and tumbled off the back of the bench.

Draco was standing not ten feet away. His face was completely open in a way Hermione had never seen before. His expression was tender and loving, and worried and sad. He met Hermione's eyes with his own, pained ones.

Hermione stood and left, leaving them alone in the world. Roxanne peered over the table at him. He was looking back at her, his gray eyes were sad.

"Roxanne, what are you doing?"

"_Pourquoi est-ce important? Vous ne vous souciez!_" **"Why is it important? You do not care about me!"** She snapped angrily.

He only shook his head and walked over to her. He sat across from her. "You don't know what you're talking about. I care very much." He hesitated slightly. "More than I'd like to admit, actually."

For a moment she stared at him in shock. He had understood her. "_Vous avez ete faire des lecons._" **"You've been having lessons?" **She said sadly. "_Pourquoi ne pas vous me demandez de vous les donner?_" **"Why didn't you wait to ask me to give them to you?"**

He smiled a little. "_Parce que je voulais vous surprendre. Maintenant, etes-vous allez-vous asseoir sur le banc et me parler comme a la femme raisonnable, je sais que vous etes?_" **"Because I wanted to surprise you. Now, are you going to sit on the bench and talk to be like the reasonable woman that I know you are?"**

Roxanne shook her head. "No. Not until you explain yourself."

He nodded. "Fair enough. I was broken for a long time, but now I'm not. You've put me back together and you've filled the empty spaces in me. And… when I'm with you, I feel like I'm a better person. I feel happier. Less… alone. Less lonely."

Her eyes swam. "Say it, Draco. Say it so I know it is true."

He took a deep breath. She knew how hard this was for him and he knew that she knew, but he owed it to her to make an effort. "You mean more to me than the world. I love you."

Roxanne shakily pulled herself up onto the bench. She crawled over the table to sit in front of him. His face was level with hers now. She took his face between her hands, staring into his eyes.

"_Dites-le a nouveau." **"**_**Say it again."**

_"Je t'aime." **"**_**I love you."**

She saw the truth in his eyes. He had long since stopped trying to hide his emotions from her and now they were as honest as ever. She moved her face forward gently. Her mouth was soft against his; just barely touching; just barely a kiss.

She pulled away to look at him. Her thumbs ran over his cheeks softly. "_Je n'aime que toi. C'est la facon don't il est et sera toujours._"

"I don't know what that means." He whispered.

"I love only you. That's the way it is and always will be." She whispered back, a ghost of a smile on her lips.

His hands found her waist and tugged her forward. His mouth covered hers. His kiss was restrained and testing. It was gentle and sad and loving. It asked a question.

Roxanne answered the question. She leaned into him, tipping his head back slightly. One of her hands wound through his hair; the other gripped his tie. She directed her entire self into that kiss. It was hungry and passionate and raw.

Draco groaned, opening his mouth to her. His hands wound around her narrow waist, dragging her off the table and against his chest. Her legs fell on either side of his hips.

Draco was the one to pull away first, gasping for breath. He brushed his fingers against her jaw and her cheek bone before tucking her hair behind her ears.

Roxanne smiled sweetly at him. The raging storm inside her had calmed and she felt content. Draco leaned in again to kiss her. She smiled against his lips. He smiled against hers and then they were laughing together, foreheads resting against each other.

Roxanne's head fell to rest on his collarbone. She looked at the thin chain that hung around his neck. She reached under the collar of his shirt to see the pendant. The serpent and the phoenix twisted together in a fierce embrace. Her heavy lids drooped and soon, she was asleep against Draco's chest. Her small hand still held the necklace and a small smile curved her lips.

She had found her peace.

Draco woke early in the morning with his arm curved around Roxanne. She was tucked under his chin and firmly snuggled against his chest. He kissed her hair, feeling better than he had in years.

"Why are you always here for me? Why do you stay with me when you deserve so much better?" He said quietly.

She surprised him by answering. "It doesn't matter if I deserve better or not. You are what I want and I love you. I will always be there for you, through everything and anything."

Draco smiled against her hair. "I love you, too."

She was clinging to his hand as if it was the only thing keeping her bound to this earth. Roxanne pushed herself closer to Draco, burrowing against his shirt. His smile widened and his arms tightened around her.

She smelled like herself again; lilac and vanilla.

"You're beautiful." He whispered.

"You're peaceful." She said.

He laughed. "Is that supposed to be a compliment?"

"Yes." She smiled against his neck. "It is the biggest compliment _I_ could give you."

"Why?"

"Because I came here looking for peace and I finally found it."


	20. Epilogue

Epilogue

"Right this way Mr. Malfoy, Miss Garniar." The rough looking prison guard led the two of them down a long dark hallway.

"Is he already there?" Roxanne asked, holding tightly to Draco's hand to support him.

"Yes, Miss Garniar. He's been waiting for about half an hour."

"Does he know why?" Draco's voice was tight.

"No, Mr. Malfoy. He does not."

Roxanne wrapped her arms around Draco's arm. Her warmth comforted him. "It'll be alright." She said softly. "I'll be right outside the door if you need me."

"Promise?"

She smiled at him. "Of course." She kissed his shoulder gently. She was too short to reach his cheek and she often resorted to kissing his arm instead.

The guard cleared his throat. "Mr. Malfoy. Here's the room. He can't use any magic and he's restrained so he shouldn't be a threat to you. I'll be right outside the door with Miss Garniar if anything goes wrong."

"Thank you, sir." Draco hesitated outside the door.

Roxanne rubbed the back of his hand with her thumb. "It'll be alright."

"What if it isn't?"

"Then I'll storm in there and give him a piece of my mind."

Draco laughed softly. He bent to kiss her. "Love you."

"Love you, too."

She patted his cheek before he turned and walked through the door.

Draco looked with pity at the man sitting in an old chair across from him. He was gaunt and haunted looking and dirty. He looked up and gray eyes met gray eyes.

"Hello, father."

"Come to finally get me out of here, Draco?" Lucius Malfoy whispered.

"Of course not, father. You deserve to be locked away in this shit hole."

"So why the fuck did you come back?" Lucius's voice rose. "You're a good for nothing piece of shit! You're a disgrace to the Malfoy name! Run back to your mother before I-."

"I'm getting married." Draco blurted out. "I thought you might want to know."

Lucius fell silent. Then he grinned. "Who'd you pick? The Parkinson girl? One of the Greengrasses?" When Draco didn't answer, Lucius went on. "Which pureblood family did you chose to grace with our name?"

"The Garniars." Draco said proudly. "I'm marrying Roxanne Garniar."

Lucius's face grew angry and it flushed purple. "She was supposed to be _dead_!"

"Well she bloody well isn't!" Draco shouted. "She's very much alive!"

"She's the daughter of a blood traitor! How dare you sully _my _blood?"

Draco's jaw tightened. "It isn't you're blood! The blood in my veins is mine alone! It doesn't matter if she's a half-blood, or muggle born! I would marry her if she was a muggleborn. I'd marry her if she was a squib. I'd marry her if she was a muggle. Whatever blood runs through her veins, she's still Roxanne."

Lucius was furious. He tried to stand but the restraints that bound him to the chair were strong. "I won't allow you to do this! Your _mother _won't allow you to do this!"

Draco smirked. "Mother is quite taken with Roxanne, actually. And considering the fact that Roxanne saved Mother's life, she doesn't have the right to hold a grudge against her because of her blood."

"You're no son of mine. I'll disown you before you can touch a penny of your inheritance. You and that half-blood whore will live in poverty." Lucius sneered.

Draco actually laughed out loud. He laughed full in the face of the man who intimidated him the most. "_You'll _disown _me? _Father, perhaps you don't understand the situation. You're the one locked in Azkaban until the day you die. You don't have the ability to disown me, or alter your will or the contract of my inheritance. And surely you know that the Garniars are just as rich as us."

"I'll make sure that the girl doesn't get a penny of her money either."

"Father, you know that Bellatrix and Dolohov killed her parents. She's had full control over her estate since she was fifteen."

"Ah, Dolohov. He escaped the precious Ministry and the Aurors. Have you heard from him? How's he doing these days?"

"He's dead. Has been for a little over a year. Roxanne killed him."

Lucius's eyes flashed. "You're going to marry the slut who killed one of us?" He spat out each word like it was poison.

"I'm not one of you." Draco said firmly. "I never was and I never will be."

His father smirked. "Draco, you _killed _people and _tortured _them. You most certainly are one of us. Don't deny your nature."

"I did that to protect Mother."

"But the fact remains that you still did them."

Draco clenched and unclenched his fists.

His father, of course, noticed and sneered. "Am I hitting a nerve there, son?"

"I am not your son." Draco hissed. "You are no father of mine. The war is over. Voldemort lost. Get over your own stupid prejudices."

"This girl has ruined you. You're weak and completely pathetic."

"Would you just listen to yourself?" Draco shouted. "You're so blinded by hate that you don't see the good in _anything!_"

"What good is there in you becoming a blood traitor? You're a Malfoy. Malfoy's don't marry inferior beings."

"What good is there in it?" Draco was growing more frustrated by the minute. "I'm marrying the woman I _love _and all you can go on about is how I'm a disappointment!"

"Malfoy's don't love."

Draco's face darkened. "I'm not just a Malfoy. I'm a Black as well. I'm my own person; I don't have to live up to your twisted ideals."

Lucius studied his son. "I want to meet her."

Draco snorted. "Why? So you can verbally abuse her?"

Lucius's eyes flashed in the same manner that Draco's did. "I want to see what kind of woman ruined you."

"No. I don't want you upsetting her. She is quite volitale when she's angry. Not to mention her Old Magic allows her to harm anyone in anyway she pleases."

Lucius face froze. "She has Old Magic? But she's a half-blood!"

"That doesn't matter and you know it."

"She sounds like she's be a good Death Eater, with the ability to harm."

Draco shook his head. "You don't know as much as you think you do, father. She heals as well."

Lucius looked enraged. "What makes you think you're suddenly so much better than me? You're naïve and disappointing and a _fool_!"

"And you're an old man who doesn't know which battles to fight and when to give up."

"You're going to destroy yourself because of this girl."

"No." Draco said sternly. "Roxanne has done nothing but help me. She was there for me after the war and she supported me when _nobody _else did."

"You're pathetic." Lucius spat.

"What you think of me doesn't affect me. I don't care about your opinions!"

"Then why did you come here, Draco?"

Draco rubbed his face slightly. "I'm getting _married. _I want you to know that I'm getting on with my life. I'll probably have the guard tell you when Roxanne and I have kids as well."

"I don't want to hear about your revolting offspring! You're as good as dead to me now!"

Draco sighed. "Goodbye, father." He turned and opened the door.

The door remained open for a few minutes. Lucius watched silently as Roxanne appeared at Draco's side. He was struck first by the girl's fragile beauty. She entwined her fingers with Draco's.

Lucius saw her father's strength in the features that were entirely her mother's.

At the angle of his chair, Lucius could see the girl's face and eyes.

He was completely shocked at how emotional those wide eyes were. The enormous amount of concern and love made Lucius feel a small scrap of emotion. The girl and Draco stared at each other for several long moments.

Then she went onto the very tips of her toes, her arms pulling her up against him, and he bent down. Their kiss was short and soft and tender.

Roxanne looked up at Draco when he walked into the hall, a bit worried.

_Draco, are you okay?_

They had a lot of these moments. They rarely had to use words to get their ideas and concerns across to the other person.

He nodded slightly.

She raised an eyebrow slightly. _Positive?_

He smiled slightly. _Not really, but I feel better than before._

She reached up to stroke his cheek. _I love you. _

"I love you." He whispered.

She wound her arms around his neck, pulling herself up. Her toes barely touched the ground. He bent down to press his lips against hers.

"Do you want to get out of here?" She asked softly against his mouth.

He nodded. "More than anything."

She took his hand in hers and led him down the hall, nodded to the guard on their way out. He rubbed his thumb along the back of her knuckles.

The first ring he touched was on her index finger. It was heavy and silver. The sapphires and diamonds on it glittered. The scripted G on it shone proudly.

The second ring glittered daintily on her third finger. It was an antique, made of platinum. Filigree tendrils of spun silver held three small diamonds against an impressively large diamond.

Around the inside of the ring, Draco's own hand writing read: _Beauty, Peace & Love. Always._


End file.
